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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24897478">The Rules of Punishment</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelPaisley/pseuds/RebelPaisley'>RebelPaisley</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Descendants (Disney Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Territory Aquisition, Action, Adult Language, Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Dark, Aphrodisiacs, Assassination Attempt(s), Asserting Authority, Attempted Sexual Slavery, Auradon politics, Badass Chad, Banishment, Beheading, Blackmail, Bondage, Bonding, Building a Community, Business Deals, Comfort, Complete, Crew Dynamics, Crimes &amp; Criminals, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Disguise, Dissociative Episode, Dubious Consent, Embarrassment, Emotional Come Together, Emotional Constipation, F/F, F/M, Fever, Found Family, Humor, Illnesses, Insecurity, Instituting their own mini government, Intoxication, Jealousy, Jonas is a Shit, Kidnapping, Lingerie, Love Confessions, Low Self-Esteem, M/M, Maintaining Appearances, Movie: Descendants (2015), Multi, Mutually Beneficial Relationships, Night Terrors, No Beta we die like vikings, Non-Graphic Territory Marking, Non-Graphic Violence, Non-graphic Murder, Not So Dramatic Rescue, Pet Names, Political Intrigue, Politics on the Isle of the Lost (Disney), Polyamory, Post-Mortem Dismemberment, Pre-Descendants (2015), Punishment, Reconciliation, Referenced Canabalism, Referenced Neglect, Referenced Sexual Trauma, Rivalry, Romance, Secret Identity, Self-Loathing, Sexual Propositions, Sexual Rewards, Sexual Roleplay, Sexual Situations, Slash, Slow Burn, Spanking, Spying, Voyeurism, associates, coming clean, disciplining, emotional breakdown, exhibitionism kind of, love at first sight probably, oblivious chad, ot10 - Freeform, referenced abuse, threat of sexual assault</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:08:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>137,277</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24897478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelPaisley/pseuds/RebelPaisley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chad gets abandoned on the Isle by his grandfather in an ill-fated assassination attempt, he makes the most of things.  He had planned to keep to himself, but then a certain blond pirate catches his eye and he knew he was doomed.  </p><p>While he had no intention of creating a new identity or slowly taking over the Isle, that’s what ends up happening, though it’s definitely worth it for the friends he makes along the way. </p><p>Also known as: That time Chad built an army, got a harem, and finally got friends in the most unconventional way possible.   </p><p>Also, also known as: Harry’s no good, very bad, excessively sexy life and trials of dealing with the nuisance that is Chad oblivious Charming.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben/Chad Charming/Carlos de Vil/Evie/Mal/Jay/Gil/Harry Hook/Uma/Jane, Chad Charming/Carlos de Vil, Chad Charming/Carlos de Vil/Evie/Jay/Mal, Chad Charming/Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil/Gil/Harry Hook/Uma, Chad Charming/Gil, Chad Charming/Harry Hook, Chad Charming/Jay, Chad Charming/Jay/Mal, Chad Charming/Mal, Chad Charming/Uma, Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, Evie/Mal (Disney), Gil/Harry Hook, Gil/Harry Hook/Uma, Gil/Jay (Disney: Descendants), Harry Hook/Jay, Harry Hook/Mal, Harry Hook/Uma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>361</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>just cry cry cry</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Starting Over</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: This is more of a general warning than anything else.  This story is darker than my previous Descendants fics, but nothing is approached graphically.  This version of Chad is a practical person so he doesn’t revel in violence, but he does understand the need for it.  So there will be clinical, matter-of-fact descriptions of murder and dismemberment, but it isn’t something that’s really dwelled on.  It’s just another part of surviving the Isle, and isn’t a major focus of the story.  </p><p>Note: The beginning is exposition heavy but I promise the entire story is not like that, just had to lay some groundwork before we dove into the good stuff :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chad had always known that the tensions between him and his grandfather would eventually come to a head.  Ever since the firm age of twelve when he realized his grandfather’s treatment bordered closer to abuse than responsible parenting, Chad knew it was his duty as the future king of Sardinia to step in and do what was right for his people.  </p><p>It was – frankly – a terrifying thing for a twelve-year-old to realize, especially one with a long-dead mother and a father who had ignored him since the death of said mother – so without any real oversight, Chad bumbled his way through the mild political intrigues a preteen was capable of.</p><p>He wasn’t going to lie and say it was the smoothest of sailing at first, but he <em>had</em> learned.  Through horrible trial and error, he’d gotten better, until he could successfully navigate around his grandfather’s proposals until Sardinia was <em>progressing</em> instead of stagnating, Chad’s father obliviously acting the part of a pawn that Chad and his grandfather deftly moved around the chessboard of life. </p><p>Things had been going well, but they’d also been getting steadily more aggressive, until Chad found himself waking up in what appeared to be a dilapidated forest somewhere in the middle of nowhere.</p><p>The point had to go to his grandfather for that round.  The old man had not only managed to catch Chad off guard, but successfully drugged him using one of the few poisons Chad hadn’t made himself immune to yet, and drugged him long <em>enough</em> to transport him without anyone knowing.  Granted, that didn’t confirm Chad’s death, but he could tell by his surroundings that his grandfather had wanted his demise to be slow and painful.  He had to keep the affair relatively hands-off so he could claim Chad’s death was a <em>grievous accident</em> – like Chad was supposed to be dumped somewhere <em>not</em> hostile – but whatever, Chad would show him.  He’d spent the last three years running off of <em>spite</em>; he could do so for the foreseeable future.</p><p>The first hint that things weren’t all as they seemed was the fact that Chad still had his cellphone.  In fact, he still had all of the equipment he kept on his person before he’d fallen mysteriously unconscious, which meant he was likely out of signal reach.  Far <em>enough</em> out of signal reach that his grandfather wasn’t worried about him making it back in range alive, which made Chad wonder <em>where the hell he was</em>.</p><p>And then he looked up, and things fell into place.</p><p>He knew that barrier anywhere.  He’d studied it, formed policies over it, relief programs and civic proposals and it was <em>about</em> this barrier that he and his grandfather had last so passionately argued.</p><p>That persnickety <em>bitch</em>.</p><p>He’d dumped Chad on the Isle of the Lost.  Of <em>course</em> he wasn’t worried about Chad having his cell phone, the Isle closed off all communications except for a few secure lines, most of it broadcasting <em>to</em> the Isle as opposed to out of it.  His grandfather had arranged for his captivity in a stroke of what he must have considered poetic justice.  He couldn’t kill Chad himself, but he was counting on Chad’s precious <em>Isle</em> to do it for him, as though there <em>weren’t</em> Sardinian citizens being unjustly confined on this poorly conceived plot of land. </p><p>Of course, the Duke’s emotions had gotten the better of him, because he hadn’t confirmed Chad’s death.  He’d merely arranged for it, but Chad had survived too long and trained too hard to give up now.  No, he was going to survive the Isle, find a way to get free and then have a gloriously stealthy political revolution that ended in his grandfather’s untimely demise.  A heart attack would do.  Chad had enough knowledge of poisons to make it untraceable.  He was writing the speech for his grandfather’s memorial in his head where he stood.</p><p>Yes, he was going to live.  And he was going to do it by <em>adapting</em>. </p><p>Eventually, the Duke would get to see that he had created his own downfall, and Chad would revel in that moment, but to get <em>there</em>, he’d have to work.</p><p>So he got started.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>One of the basic tenants of surviving in hostile territory was to not draw undo attention to oneself.  Unfortunately, Chad’s clothes were shades of tasteful pastels mixed with khaki and <em>loafers</em> (his grandfather was likely making himself sick with laughter over it), and while there was little photographic evidence as to the current status of the Isle, he knew they mostly operated off of the secondhand goods shipped out from Auradon proper.  Meaning that whatever they had was likely dreary, torn, and <em>not</em> the clothes of a prince, and were Ben present he would likely fall into a tragic depression because his bleeding heart knew no boundaries. </p><p>Step one of his current plan of survival required getting new clothes, preferably something to cover his face and hair on the offhand chance someone recognized him as the heir to Sardinia.  There was no point in asking for trouble.  So Chad proceeded to do what he did best – he took stock his surroundings and set off deeper into the ruined, rotting forest, knowing that until his clothing situation was rectified, he wouldn’t be able to risk the parts of the Isle that functioned as a city. </p><p>Thankfully, his grandfather’s subtle assassination attempts had prompted Chad into carrying a sort of ‘emergency kit’ with him wherever he went, and whoever his grandfather had hired to dump him here hadn’t even bothered to <em>search</em> him, leaving Chad with a minor collection of tools that would give him the edge he needed.</p><p>First he had his pocketknife, a respectable thing forged by the dwarves of Hanover, making it roughly a hundred times more durable than the average knife, with a blade that would never lose its sharpness.  He had a few rolls of thin, dwarven rune plating he’d procured from the black market – enchanted ore that could transfer the properties of the runes carved into them into whatever object they were placed against.  It had taken Chad forever to acquire them, along with a small rune chisel that masqueraded as a stylus he could use to actually <em>carve</em> the runes.  Granted, acquiring a majority of this neglected magic art had required Chad to violate a couple dozen laws, but it was that willingness that would likely keep him alive. </p><p>Under his tasteful, light blue sweater Chad had his skintight under armor that had been designed by his own hand – just a little something to discourage stabbing attempts, and his minor first aid and sewing kit was strapped to the very base of his back, along with his collapsible firelighter that was fixed just above his ankle.  </p><p>Overall, it wasn’t a bad setup, but it was still a long cry for what Chad would need to survive.</p><p>First things first, he needed to focus on food and shelter.  After that he could try to get a more stable foothold on his new surroundings. </p><p>He tracked down a deserted stretch of beach bordered by an unruly area of forest practically choked with trees.  Chad loved it.  Loved the multitude of dead reeds and long, wild grass.  Loved the craggily boulders that blocked off the area not surrounded by forest and the shallow tidepools that gathered around angular rocks jutting out of the water.  Chad spent some time weaving together a net to catch fish before he moved on to accumulating reeds and tree branches to make a rough sort of lean-to that he camouflaged with grass.  He built a small fire circle and hid a supply of firewood in the lean-to before trying his hand at fishing. </p><p>The fish weren’t <em>large</em>, by any means, but Chad did manage to catch something, and better still they didn’t even seem poisoned like the wilting forest around them.  Chad hung his bounties inside his shelter before using some of his valuable rune plating to design some wards.  He scattered them among the tree-line, just enough so that should anyone happen to stumble towards this beach, the runes would coerce them to retreat. </p><p>Technically, magic shouldn’t work on the Isle – that was how Fairy Godmother designed the barrier.  However, <em>Dwarven</em> rune magic worked differently, in that the magic was channeled into the <em>metal</em>, and it was the metal that had been forged outside the Isle that carried the magical properties Chad could manipulate to confirm his own protection.</p><p>It wasn’t a bad first night on the Isle, eating roasted fish while weaving a mattress of reeds, knowing that this was but the first step in a very long road towards salvation, but Chad was a patient person, so this did not deter him, nor did it shake him from the task at hand.  One way or another, he would escape the Isle. </p><p>And his grandfather would rue the day.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>The following weeks fell into a dependable sort of pattern.  Chad worked on acquiring more weapons by way of a quarterstaff he’d whittled himself.  He was still working on a set of bow and arrows, though it was a tedious process, and he had set up a secondary base deep in the untouched parts of the forest that he’d both warded <em>and</em> trapped for good measure, spending days carving wooden spikes and weaving rope so he could be as secure as possible.  <em>This</em> base contained what was likely one of the greatest treasures on the Isle – a garden that thrived where everything else withered, coaxed into cultivation from his runic magic. </p><p>Over time, Chad had managed to acquire a more Isle-suited outfit – all in shades of brown.  Rough pants, a long-sleeved jacket that flared out past his waist, buckled with a belt he slowly but surely sewed more pouches onto.  It took him awhile to find a clean enough piece of material that he could shape into a mask that covered everything below his eyes, though he’d had slightly more luck locating a dark bandana that could cover his blond curls.  The jacket had a hood, and fingerless gloves seemed to be a default fashion accessory for the Isle, so he had a set of those too.</p><p>After a month, he was about as ready to venture into the ‘civilization’ of the Isle as he’d ever be.  Which was good, because Chad needed to get a better feel of the land, get an idea of the kind of supplies that flowed through the Isle and how they were distributed.</p><p>So with his knife sheathed at his waist and his quarterstaff slung across his back, Chad went out into the night, doing one of the <em>other</em> things he did best.</p><p>Acquiring data.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>Chad avoided interacting with the Isle’s residents as much as possible.  Even with the bandana, the hood, and the mask, it was still too risky for him to be recognized as an outsider – not enough scars or street smarts or whatever was required of a survival culture that Chad hadn’t spent his life perfecting.  He didn’t want to give himself away, so he stuck to the rooftops (people rarely looked up, and only a lunatic would risk the unsteady structures that had been hobbled together for the Isle’s residents), keeping his excursions relegated to the evening, when the sane and the weak were safely tucked inside. </p><p>Between his weapons and parkour experience, it was easy to keep out of the way for his supply runs, which was really just a nicer way of saying ‘stealing from the greasiest scumbags he saw’.  Chad might be on the Isle now, but he wasn’t stealing from kids and petty criminals that barely had anything, they needed what they could get.  No, better to <em>redistribute</em> the Isle’s ‘wealth’ from those who had excess.</p><p>He was on his way to the docks when he heard a commotion below, emanating from one of the narrow back alleys.  Muggings weren’t uncommon on the Isle – stealing was just another component of survival – but usually they weren’t this one-sided.  It was three against one – older, rough faced adults cornering a teenager with a sword, one of the pirates, by the look of it. </p><p>Normally, Chad would keep moving and let the unsavory business continue without him (as much as he wanted to help, being a hero would only get him the kind of recognition he didn’t <em>need</em>), but he recognized the kid they had backed into a corner. </p><p>It would have been hard to miss him – he was that muscular pirate who always seemed to be smiling no matter how horrible the day was.  Come rain or shine, the kid had a grin on his face – a <em>genuine</em> one, like he wasn’t smart enough to know how bad things were.  Chad was honestly surprised he’d stayed alive this long with that kind of attitude, but the prince <em>had</em> grown used to seeing that flash of levity in his perusals over the Isle’s rooftops.</p><p>And now that smile was going to get stabbed to death in some back alley, just another casualty of the Isle.</p><p>Chad found himself scaling down from the rooftops before he could really think about it.  The first one he took out with a flying tackle, using him to soften his descent while he jabbed his quarter staff into the nose of the second, knowing by the immediate slump of his body that Chad had successfully shoved his nose bone up into his brain.  The third had a bit more time to retaliate, but Chad disarmed him in an easy movement before cracking his staff on the back of his head, then repeating the process on the one groaning beneath him.</p><p>There, three on one with the element of surprise, and Chad had just successfully killed his first – and maybe second, person.  That was something he’d have to review later, for now he turned his gaze to the smiling pirate.</p><p>Who was even smiling now. “Wow!” he chirped, sheathing his sword as though Chad hadn’t just taken out three people in front of him. “That was amazing!  I’m Gil.”</p><p>“Hi, Gil,” Chad murmured, moving to shift through the muggers’ pockets and relieving them of anything useful.  One had a lighter, <em>nice</em>.</p><p>“Are you like a ninja?” Gil asked, still seeming to burst with excitement and Chad hated it, hated it because he knew he already liked this kid, appreciated him the same way he missed Ben because Ben was also hopeless and stupidly nice.  Chad also missed Jane, but she had common sense, so he could take comfort in the fact that she wouldn’t accidentally find her own demise. “Is that why you’re all covered up?”</p><p>“Nope,” Chad drawled. “That’s because of the scars.”</p><p>“Oh.” Gil blinked. “Yeah, that makes sense.” There was a thoughtful pause. “Why did you help me?”</p><p>“I like fighting,” Chad replied with a shrug. “And now you owe me, so that’s a bonus.”</p><p>“I do?” This seemed to confuse Gil, but the befuddlement settled quickly. “Yeah, you’re right – I <em>do</em>.”</p><p>“I’ll let you know when I need something,” Chad replied, as though he was not getting everything he needed right here, having an actual conversation with a person for the first time in <em>weeks</em>. “It won’t be much.”</p><p>“You could come down to the Chip Shoppe,” Gil chirped, bouncing over to Chad’s side once he’d finished taking what he wanted from the muggers. “I can get you food.  It’s um- pretty good, too.” </p><p>Comparatively speaking to what was mostly provided to the Isle, Chad realized that was likely the case. </p><p>“I’ve got food.” His garden had been coming along well enough, and even if the game here was thin it was still <em>meat</em>, and Chad could get a lot from the bones. “Might need your muscle though, not sure when.” Gil got an uncertain sort of look on his face. “It won’t be against your crew, don’t worry.”</p><p>“Oh.” Immediate relief – this guy just, had no poker face. “Okay.” And he was back to being happy again.</p><p>Chad sighed. “Why are you out alone, anyway?”</p><p>“Got kicked out of the shop,” Gil said, as though this was a regular occurrence. “I was on my way back to the ship but um- used the wrong ally.” Gil sighed. “I couldn’t remember if Harry said to avoid this one or use it.”</p><p>“I think you now know it was the first option,” Chad said, holding his staff at the ready. “I’ll walk you to the docks.”</p><p>“Really?” There was that stupid grin that would probably be Chad’s undoing one day. “Thanks!”</p><p>“Don’t mention it.” Chad motioned him forward, keeping his eyes fixed to their surroundings. “Seriously.”</p><p>“<em>Right</em>,” Gil whispered. “Because you’re a secret ninja.”</p><p>Chad sighed. “Close enough.”</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>Chad hadn’t planned on seeing Gil again – not face-to-face, at least – but a different supply run on a different evening had the pirate cornered in yet another alley, and Chad had a soft spot for easy smiles motivated by nothing, so he made short work of that fight too.</p><p>“Hey!” Gil said when the fighting was done and Chad was claiming his reward. “It’s you again!  Thanks!”</p><p>Was everything this guy said an exclamation?  Maybe- <em>Ugh</em>, Chad found that endearing.  One way or another, he knew he was going to get Gil off the Isle.  Maybe Chad would make him his Lord Consort, just as an extra <em>fuck you</em> to his grandfather.</p><p>“Hi, Gil,” Chad said, because he was polite.</p><p>“I didn’t get your name last time,” Gil chirped. “Because I forgot to ask.  I do that a lot.”</p><p>“I didn’t offer it,” Chad pointed out, because anyone else would have realized that for themselves. “It’s Volker.”</p><p>The name’s origin was from Hanover – Queen Snow’s kingdom.  She’d confessed one day that the name was under consideration for her son before her miscarriage, meaning ‘people’s guard’.  It felt appropriate, in this instance.  Chad was going to guard the people of the Isle, one way or another.</p><p>“Volker.” Gil’s brows furrowed together as he pondered over the name. “That’s weird, but cool.  <em>Volker</em>.”</p><p>“You should stop walking alone at night.”</p><p>“I <em>know</em>,” Gil sighed, falling into step with Chad.  Apparently walking the pirate back to his docks was now a tradition. “I normally wait outside the Chip Shoppe until Harry lets me back in, but he’s real grumpy today so it was taking a while, and then these drunks showed up-” Gil sighed. “I avoided the right alley this time.”</p><p>“You did,” Chad agreed, because he deserved that much. “But all alleys are bad at night.” Gil should know that by now.</p><p>“Yeah.” Gil kicked his feet. “But hey, I got to see you again!”</p><p>“You shouldn’t bank on that.” At Gil’s puzzled look, Chad clarified, “Rely on it, I mean.”</p><p>“Oh, I know.  Uma says ‘<em>you gotta rely on yourself, Gil</em>’, only I’m real dumb.  That’s why I joined the Wharf Rats in the first place.” He lowered his voice to a stage whisper. “My dad doesn’t really like me.” He pulled back. “But like, no one’s parents seem to like them – that might just be an Auradon thing.” He got a dreamy look on his face. “I wonder what that’s like.”</p><p>“No point worrying over it,” Chad said, because he was from Auradon and his parental relationships were nonexistent.  “You’ve got to build your own family.”</p><p>Gil blinked. “Can we do that?”</p><p>“Sure.” Chad shrugged. “You get strong enough here, you can do whatever you want.”</p><p>“What about you?” Gil asked, grinning again. “Do you have a family?”</p><p>“Nope.” Chad popped the ‘p’ to try and hide how much of a lie it was.</p><p>“Oh.” Gil’s expression turned thoughtful. “…want to be part of mine?”</p><p>Fucking <em>yes</em>.</p><p>Chad sighed. “We’re not friends,” he explained, because Gil being friends with him would only hurt the pirate in the long run. “We’re <em>associates</em>.  It gives you more power.”</p><p>“Associ-what?”</p><p>“<em>Associates</em>,” Chad repeated. “Now say it ten times.”</p><p>To his credit, Gil did that, murmuring quietly to himself until he had more or less said the word correctly eleven times. “Okay, done.”</p><p>“Great,” Chad drawled. “Now if anyone asks why I helped you, it’s because…”</p><p>“You like to fight!” Gil answered, face lighting up with excitement.</p><p>Chad sighed. “<em>And</em> because-”</p><p>“Oh.” Gil struggled to readjust, but got there. “Because we’re <em>associates</em>.”</p><p>“There you go.” Chad patted his arm carefully, and Gil looked down, staring at the skin he’d touched. “And we’re associates because-”</p><p>“It gives me more power?” Gil tried, more of a question than anything else. “Is that better than friendship?”</p><p>“That’s a question I’ll have to answer another day,” Chad replied, because he couldn’t do it honestly now. “Until then, here’s your stop.”</p><p>“Neat.” This boy was going to kill Chad, he really was. “Thanks, Volker.”</p><p>“Don’t mention it.”</p><p>“I <em>won’t!</em>” Gil promised. </p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>“Hey!” This time it was Gil that waved him down, hiding on the corner of a rooftop as though he’d been specifically waiting for Chad. “So- um, I might have told.”</p><p>Chad did not sigh.  He’d been expecting this.</p><p>“On accident,” Gil pressed. “‘Cuz usually I get mugged a lot, but since you showed up, that doesn’t happen as much?  Anyway, Harry was asking me, and then <em>Uma</em> was asking me and I can’t not-tell Uma, she’s my <em>captain</em>.”</p><p>That time, Chad <em>did </em>sigh. “What did you say?”</p><p>“That we’re <em>associates</em>.” Gil beamed, endlessly pleased that he had gotten the word correct. “But Uma says I’m not supposed to have associates, <em>she</em> is, since she’s the captain, so… she wants to meet you.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Aw, <em>come on</em>,” Gil whined. “It’s Uma.  Like- not everyone on in the Wharf Rats is cool, but Uma and Harry are the best.  You gotta see her.  And hey, maybe she can be your <em>associate</em> too.”</p><p>“She’s the one that sends you out into the alleys to get <em>mugged</em>,” Chad snapped. “I don’t want to be her associate.”</p><p>It wasn’t until after he’d finished speaking that Chad realized he’d said too much, had been too <em>‘good’</em>, but thankfully Gil didn’t seem to register the offense.</p><p>“Hey, it’s not her fault I’m dumb,” Gil pressed, like that was the issue. “Sometimes I say the wrong thing at the wrong time and I <em>have</em> to be punished or she’ll look bad.”</p><p>“Gil.” It was pointless getting frustrated over the necessary power moves required in the Isle hierarchy, but Chad found himself doing that just the same. “I don’t care about her motives.  Just let her know that any business I have with you won’t come back to harm the Wharf Rats.” Which Chad guessed was Gil’s crew. “And it won’t harm you either, because you’re no good to me dead.  Now, why don’t I want you to get hurt?”</p><p>Gil paused. “…because we’re associates?”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“I’m…” Gil blinked. “I’m no good to you dead!”</p><p>“Repeat that to yourself ten times,” Chad said. “Now I’ve got to go, one of your friends looks like they might want to climb up here and I’ve got shit to do.”</p><p>Gil, who had been in the middle of accomplishing Chad’s task, offered him a distracted wave goodbye, letting Chad sneak off into the night without having to deal with the red-coated teenager scowling at their rooftop, perhaps the elusive ‘Harry’ Chad had heard so much about.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>“Uma says I have to pay my debts,” was how Gil greeted him, precariously balancing on his corner of the rooftop, huddling under a small outcrop to protect against the rain.</p><p>Chad sighed, then dug through his satchel until he found a hooded jacket, passing it over to Gil who immediately grinned.</p><p>“Wow, <em>nice</em>.” It was stupid how happy it made him, but at least Gil looked cozy, grinning inside the fresh clothing. “And- <em>aw</em>, I owe you more now.”</p><p>“What did I say about you being of use to me?”</p><p>“That I’m… not if I’m dead?”</p><p>“Getting sick from the cold’s an easy way to die,” Chad explained. “You can’t pay back your debt if you’re sick.  Think of it as a… necessary tool of the trade.”</p><p>“Huh.” Gil considered this, thumbing at his sleeves.</p><p>“And if anyone asks, you found it.  And you’re going to <em>keep it</em>, unless Uma asks for it.”</p><p>Gil’s face lit up. “Because Uma’s captain!  I knew you’d get it.”</p><p>Chad did, to an extent.  Which was why he chose to get back on topic. “I don’t have anything I need you to do right now.”</p><p>“Aw,” Gil’s expression fell. “Uma says I’m not allowed back on the ship or in the shoppe until we’re even.  She doesn’t want the debt to reflect on the Wharf Rats.”</p><p>Which, again, was strategic on her part, but provided a conundrum for Chad.</p><p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Chad huffed. “Come on, I’ll think of something you can do.” </p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>Gil wasn’t as dexterous as Chad so traveling the roofs was a no-go.  Instead, Chad had to teach the pirate the art of lurking in the shadows, going through the lesser used paths to avoid human interaction, double checking behind them for tails until they were safely near the less-inhabited parts of the Isle.  Chad decided to take Gil to his beach, figured if he lost that particular foothold it wouldn’t be that difficult to recover.</p><p>“Come on,” Chad motioned Gil under his reed leanto. “We’ll spend the night here, and then you can work in the morning.”</p><p>“Wow.” Gil inspected the inside of the modest hut with wide eyes, seeming impressed with Chad’s collection of blankets atop his mattress of ferns. “Did you make this?”</p><p>“Yep.” Chad motioned for him to settle in. “I’m gonna check on some things real quick, be right back.”</p><p>It was quick work resetting the perimeter traps, and by the time he got back, Gil seemed to be considering the best patch of sand to lie on.</p><p>Chad sighed. “The <em>bed</em>, Gil.”</p><p>“What?” the pirate blinked at him. “But it’s <em>yours</em>.”</p><p>“We’re sharing it,” Chad said, as though the very idea of it didn’t fill him with warmth, the prospect of having someone near that he <em>trusted</em>.  He hadn’t gotten that since Jane, and his grandfather rarely allowed Chad to see her. “Come on.”</p><p>Once he’d been reassured, it was easy for Gil to take his place in the nest of blankets.  Chad, giving absolutely no damns, decided to use Gil as his pillow, resting his head on the blond’s chest before curling around his side, letting Gil’s arm settle on his waist.</p><p>“I will be very upset if you try to stab me, Gil,” Chad said, not because he expected it, but because his reputation required it.</p><p>Gil literally <em>gasped</em>. “I wouldn’t do that, Volker, you’re the <em>best</em>.”</p><p>“Like Uma and Harry?” Chad asked, because he was a sucker for punishment.</p><p>The chest beneath his ear hummed. “Yeah.”</p><p>Yep, this boy was going to be the death of him.</p><p>But Chad was okay with that.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>Taking care of Gil filled a need in Chad that he’d long since ignored, because while it was nice to be productive for himself, helping out someone <em>else</em> was a calling impressed upon him since youth, and now that he was awarded the opportunity to do so again he felt giddy with happiness, even if all he did was provide Gil with some slightly brown apples and a hunk of bread.</p><p>“Thanks,” Gil chirped, having finally given up on the ‘adding to his debt’ thing.  Chad didn’t bother eating because of his mask, but he’d gone longer without food, would likely do so again.</p><p>Gil was bright and chirpy by the time Chad led him over towards his plant fiber collection area. “Okay, I need your help making rope,” Chad said.  “Spend a day doing that and we’re even.”</p><p>“What do I need to do?” Gil asked. “Wait, you can <em>make</em> rope?”</p><p>Beneath his mask, Chad grinned. “Let me show you.”</p><p>Making rope was a tedious but necessary process, and it was nice <em>teaching</em> Gil something, almost as nice as feeding him, and Chad knew he was doomed, had known it from the start, but he had to remind himself not to be pathetic about this.  Gil was an exception to the rule – not everyone on the Isle was welcoming.  Chad couldn’t let his guard down, even if he wanted to.</p><p>Once shown what to do, Gil was excellent at the repetitive process of rope creation, and once Chad was satisfied with his work, he left the blond pirate to it.  While Gil focused on rope making, Chad set to his own task of carving stealth runes into the metal plates he’d collected – empty aluminum cans he had found and flattened into appropriate sections.  Though these plates were not enhanced, the chisel Chad had brought with him would do the magic infusing.  Enough of these and his real base would be completely hidden save from him – though Chad was mostly worried about his gardens.  No need to let those fall prey to eager hands.  Especially the medical supplies.</p><p>“This is really cool,” Gil said when they had broken for lunch.  Well, <em>he</em> had broken for lunch – Chad had snuck some food earlier when he ducked into the woods for supplies, so he spent his time watching Gil relish a can of cold stew. “You’re like- the outdoorsman my dad always wanted me to be.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t worry about your dad too much,” Chad said, despite the fact that he didn’t know much about Gaston.  Also, Gil’s dad was Gaston, which was so astonishingly <em>bizarre</em> Chad could barely process it. “He was dumb enough to get stuck on this island – I don’t think his opinion is all that important.”</p><p>“Huh,” Gil paused. “I hadn’t really thought of that.  I just thought-” He shrugged those broad shoulders. “You know, if you’re a good kid you’re supposed to do what your parents want, right?”</p><p>“Objectively speaking, I think you’re already a good kid,” Chad answered honestly, because he just couldn’t <em>not</em>. “You’ve successfully made a shit-ton of rope, and Uma likes having you around.  That in itself speaks of success.” Chad frowned. “So what if you’re not a hunter?  Why be like your dad at all?  His stupid actions got him sent here, why perpetuate that?”</p><p>Gil frowned, mouthing the word ‘perpetuate’.</p><p>“It means ‘to keep going’,” Chad explained. “Like a circle, you repeat the cycle.  And the cycle’s dumb.”</p><p>“Yeah, but my dad’s feared,” Gil said. “If I was more like him, people wouldn’t try to mug me so much.” He sighed. “You’re the only one that really hasn’t.  Even Harry’s stolen from me.” Hopefully because Harry was trying to maintain his reputation, because if it was anything else, he was going to be having words with Chad’s staff. </p><p>“The key to survival is doing what works best for you,” Chad settled on, because otherwise he’d start growling. “If being like your dad isn’t working, you’ve got to be the best <em>you</em>.  It’s what I did.”</p><p>Gil blinked. “And <em>that’s</em> how you became a badass secret ninja.”</p><p>“Pretty much.” There might be a blush building on Chad’s cheeks because he was truly <em>weak</em>, but the mask hopefully hid it. </p><p>“Huh,” Gil said again. </p><p>And that, apparently, was that.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>Chad walked Gil back to the docks after night fell, using the same careful tactics of shadow hopping as they’d use to arrive.  Either word of his infamy had grown or Chad looked threatening enough for the both of them, but no one really tried to make any trouble from them until they were back at the port.</p><p>“Tell your captain that your debt’s been paid,” Chad said as he began to melt back into the shadows. “And try not to get cornered again.”</p><p>“Got it.” Gil offered him a clumsy salute. “But um- can I still help you?  If I get banished?”</p><p>This <em>boy</em>.</p><p>“Maybe,” Chad allowed, because he’d already been enough of a softy as it was. </p><p>He disappeared to Gil’s excited <em>‘woop!’</em> behind him, because Gil possessed no subtlety.</p><p>But Chad liked that about him, so he supposed it worked.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>In what could only be a stroke of luck, Chad managed to locate not one, but <em>two</em> abandoned fire axes during the chaos that was barge day.  Normally Chad wouldn’t risk being around so many desperate people, but he knew that it was around the time of year that Auroria would upgrade their safety equipment, which meant under a selection of seemingly useless high visibility vests (who on the Isle would <em>want</em> to be visible?) was a hoard of useful things, like fireproof jackets, coveralls, boots, and <em>fire axes</em>. </p><p>They were clearly thrown in by mistake, should have been properly recycled elsewhere, but the regulators of Auroria could be a bit lazy, which was what had Chad snatching up the two axes and immediately scaling up the roof, vanishing with the release of a cloying smoke bomb he had constructed from rare plants and abandoned chemicals he’d dug out of dumpsters.</p><p>He spent an entire day carving runes into his axes until they were completely changed, taking on the appearance of dwarven-made goods rather than the dull blades they’d been discarded as.  Chad deftly sewed two loops into his utility belt to hold them, and with that, he was in business. </p><p><em>Now</em> if someone wanted to mess with Gil, they could fear losing their head.  The Queen of Hearts would be so proud.</p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>“<em>Volker!</em>” It was chance that had Chad down by the beach, sowing seeds for new weeds while collecting a fresh line of rope.  The sun was high in the sky by the time Gil came charging towards his clearing, the pirate pausing at the outskirts, likely because he couldn’t remember where the traps were. “<em>Volker</em>, can you- I need <em>associating!</em>”</p><p>Which was probably the cutest way to ask for help, and Chad shouldn’t care about it, shouldn’t even <em>contemplate</em> it because Gil was the only person on this Isle he intimately cared about and he was <em>fine</em>, but Chad found himself picking up his axes anyway, hooking them onto his belt as he met Gil down on the path.</p><p>“They took Harry!” Gil said as soon as he was in range. “Don Carnage’s crew!  They’re holding him hostage because they want Uma to give them the Lost Revenge but she <em>can’t</em> do that, Volker, she won it fair and square.” And it was all the Wharf Rats had – losing that would leave them effectively homeless, and the homeless didn’t last long on the Isle. “He’s giving her until tomorrow to hand over the ship, but-”</p><p>“Calm down,” Chad ordered, mentally running through potential plans. “Do you know where they’re holding him?”</p><p>Gil nodded “They got a hideout on the south docks.  We can’t go near it though, or they’ll hurt Harry.”</p><p>“Can you describe the building?” Chad would need to go back to his main base to collect supplies. “Know how many are in Don Carnage’s crew?”</p><p>“I’m not great at counting,” Gil admitted, looking pained as he did so. “But I can tell you what building they’re in.”</p><p>“Then we’re good to go.” It would have to do. “I’ll meet you at our usual rooftop in an hour, I’ve got to go pick up some tools.”</p><p>“So you’ll help?” Gil asked. “Or- associate?”</p><p>“Told you I like to fight,” Chad said. “This has the bonus of getting one over on Harry.”</p><p>“You gonna have him make rope too?” Gil asked, ever hopeful.</p><p>“I’ll figure that out later, now <em>go</em>.”</p><p>Gil didn’t need to be told twice – he left. </p><p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p><p>To this point, Chad’s bow and arrows were untested on humans, but he supposed that would change today.  He had made some rough chemical bombs that should help with taking out large groups depending on how big Carnage’s crew was – it was fortunate that he’d decided to start dabbling in alchemy as soon as he had.  If he was committing to this, he wasn’t going to be able to leave any of them alive, unfortunately.  He couldn’t risk this coming back to haunt him.  He could only hope that Don Carnage’s crew didn’t have any <em>associates</em> of their own to care about their demise.</p><p>By the time he got to the appropriate rooftop, Gil was practically vibrating with tension. “Twelve buildings over, just around the bend near the Jolly Roger,” Gil explained after he gave Chad a breakdown of what to look for. “Harry’s younger than all of them, and he’s got short black hair and pretty blue eyes and a red coat.  He usually has a hook too, but that’s what they sent to Uma to prove they had him.”</p><p>“One less thing to worry about then.” It was uncomfortable being in the middle of the Isle during the day.  Chad would prefer to wait for evening to strike, but that would be when Carnage’s crew was most on guard.  Even if they’d be looking out for the Wharf Rats and not Chad, it would be better to get the drop on them while he could. “Wait three buildings down from their base, okay?  You’re gonna need to carry your friend back to the Lost Revenge.”</p><p>“Can you really do it?” Gil asked. “Can you save Harry?”</p><p>“Won’t know ‘till I find out,” Chad replied honestly, then set off on the roofs.</p><p>The building was exactly how Gil described it – pirates that had clearly seen better days loitering around the edges, keeping up the pretense of what could have been guard shifts.  There were two on the rooftop and another five near the entrance, playing cards and shooting shit, unaware of their eminent deaths. </p><p>Chad took care of the roof guards first, taking one out with an arrow through the eye when the other had his back turned.  He managed to loose a second arrow by the time the second guard caught sight of his friend’s dead body, which cleared the roof easily enough.  Now to take care of the entrance. </p><p>Through necessity, Chad changed positions, climbing to a different rooftop as he considered his best entry option.  He’d likely have to grapple to the roof to remain undetected, but to pull focus from <em>that</em>, he’d have a little fun.</p><p>That was what led to him fixing one of his chemical packs to the end of his arrow, aiming for the table the entrance guards were gathered around and letting it <em>fly</em>.  In the moment of confusion that followed, he shot a fire arrow afterwards, causing a lovely <em>explosion</em> that had the guards shrieking and running for water, anything to keep the flames from spreading.</p><p>Chad got to work.</p><p>With all the panic below, it was easy to swing onto the roof, switching out his bow for his axes as he made his descent into the building.  It was fortunate that most of Carnage’s crew seemed to be running <em>towards</em> the fire, trying to put it out, and those that lagged behind were quickly dealt with by a violent axe swing to the neck.  By the time he found where Harry was being held, the stairs were smeared with blood, and only Carnage himself held vigil over the tied and beaten Harry Hook.</p><p>“You’re not a Wharf Rat,” Carnage said – his last words as Chad threw his axe not a second later, hitting him square between the eyes. </p><p>“I’m Volker,” Chad explained as he quickly cut Harry’s ties, ripping the gag away before retrieving his axe. “Gil asked for my help.”</p><p>“What do ye want with <em>Gilly?</em>” the first mate snapped, as though Chad wasn’t in the middle of rescuing him. “Ye tryin’ to take advantage of him?”</p><p>“He amuses me – more than you do, at any rate,” Chad snapped, dragging Harry to his feet.  The kid was shaky, held up by <em>spite</em> alone. “Now shut up and get moving, we’ve got to <em>go</em>.”</p><p>Despite Harry’s grumbled protests, Chad managed to drag him down the stairs and out a side door, killing anyone who came in their path.  He ignored Harry’s pride to sling one of his arms around Chad’s neck, <em>dragging</em> him down the street to Gil’s location. </p><p>The blond was waiting for them with nervous hands, though he lit up when he caught sight of Harry. “You did it!” he chirped. “Harry-”</p><p>“Ye didn’t need to involve <em>him</em>,” the first mate snapped.</p><p>“He did and it’s done,” Chad hissed so they wouldn’t keep arguing. “Gil, take him back to the ship, I’ve got to go finish off the others.”</p><p>“But…” Gil hesitated. “We’ve got Harry.”</p><p>“Yep,” Chad agreed. “And a good way to make sure he <em>stays</em> with you is to take care of all your enemies.  Now get going.”</p><p>Gil didn’t hesitate after that, bodily picking Harry up before sprinting back down the street, ignoring the other teen’s snarls all the way.  In the meantime, Chad climbed to the roof and set back towards the building.</p><p>He had a crew to destroy.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Man, I tried not to play favorites but I must not have tried that hard because most of this story is Harry getting generally harassed by the world for my own amusement.  So.  Enjoy that, I guess ;P</p><p>This story will consist of seventeen chapters of story content as well as one chapter of deleted scenes, which will be posted along with the last chapter.  As always, please let me know if I missed something in the tags.  I prefer to ere on the side of caution with these things, but when you stare at something for long enough, it can be easy to lose the details :)</p><p>I update once a week, generally on Sundays, but because things have been so crazy lately, I decided to make an effort to update twice a week.  So there will be one update on Sunday and one update on Wednesday/Thursday for now.  At least, I will try for this.  There will always be an update on Sunday, though :D  </p><p>Story notes: </p><p>This story takes place during what would be Chad's Freshmen year at Auradon Prep, as such he and most of the characters are around fifteen-sixteen years old.  Also, more characters will slowly be introduced over time, but of course I prioritized with Gil, because I had no restraint.  None ;)</p><p>Don Carnage is a villain from the ‘Duck Tales’ series.  Technically he’s a fox, though in this particular world we’re going to pretend he and his crew are all human.</p><p>I entirely invented the dwarven runes, and considering the fact that most magical artifacts don’t work under the barrier, they probably wouldn’t work either, but I wanted to give Chad a bit of a shortcut for his survival, so I went ahead and allowed it ^_^</p><p>Hanover is my name for Snow White’s kingdom, because the canon name of ‘Charmington’ did not jive with me.  Similarly, Sardinia is my name for Chad’s kingdom, because Cinderellasburg in no way sounds like a real kingdom. </p><p>Having Audrey’s kingdom not that great at managing their supplies appeals to me on a petty level, I won’t lie </p><p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Turning Heads</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chad gave it a few days before he went back into the Isle central, swinging by the docks because he was a sucker for punishment.  It took him a while to find Gil, which at first was a blessing because that meant he wasn’t being <em>mugged</em>, and then it was less of a blessing because he found the teen huddled between a wall and a dumpster, a sad piece of cardboard acting as a roof over his shaking form.</p>
<p>To say Chad was less than pleased was an understatement.  He had to <em>force</em> himself to scout the surrounding area to determine it wasn’t a trap (because it would have been an effective one) before making his way to Gil’s side, dropping from the shadows as though it were second nature.</p>
<p>Gil flinched at the sudden intrusion, hands coming up to block his face before he realized who it was.  Instantly, his fear melted into happiness, despite the fact that he was literally hiding behind a dumpster in the cold of night, and he didn’t even have the jacket Chad had given him.</p>
<p>“Volker!” he chirped. “You’re okay!  I was worried, you know – even though you’re super badass that was a lot of pirates, but you killed the whole crew!  That’s amazing!”</p>
<p>“It was a necessity,” Chad said, crouching down and motioning for Gil to keep his voice low, even though he was pretty sure the order wouldn’t stick. “Why aren’t you back on your ship?”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Gil’s face fell. “Uma was mad about me getting your <em>associating</em> without her permission.  She had to kick me off the crew until I can work my way back into her good graces.  So I work at the Chip Shoppe during the day, but I have to keep finding new places to sleep at night.”</p>
<p>Fucking <em>politics</em>.  Chad hated this shit, even though he understood Uma’s motives. “Come on,” he huffed, motioning for Gil to follow him. “You can stay at my beach until she likes you again.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, about that…” Gil made no move to stand. “Um- I think that will just make her madder.  Since it’s, you know, <em>yours</em>, and I’m supposed to be hers.”</p>
<p>“You are <em>hers</em>,” Chad snapped, though if Gil really belonged to Uma, she’d do a better job taking care of him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know that and <em>you</em> know that but I can’t get Uma to believe it, so…” Gil shrugged. “This isn’t too bad.” </p>
<p>Yes it was.  It was very bad.</p>
<p>“Harry’s real mad, you know,” Gil continued. “Since you like, killed a whole pirate crew for him.  Most people think you own him now and he doesn’t want to belong to anyone but Uma, so he won’t help me either.”</p>
<p>“If he didn’t want debts, he shouldn’t have gotten caught,” Chad growled, even though he understood it was unreasonable. “Look, you want to help Harry pay off his debt?  Come guard my beach tonight.” They’d figure something else out tomorrow.</p>
<p>Gil blinked. “Oh, I can do that!”</p>
<p>“Great,” Chad muttered. “Follow me.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad got one night of confirming Gil’s safety before the pirate’s obstinance kicked in.</p>
<p>“Nope.” He shook his head when Chad ‘coincidentally’ swung by the Chip Shoppe to pick him up post-closing. “This is part of my punishment, man.  I should have run it by Uma first.”</p>
<p><em>Ugh</em>, this dumb, noble boy.  He was as bad as Ben.</p>
<p>“But don’t worry.” Gil perked up, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I got a plan until Uma takes me back again.”</p>
<p>“And that plan is…?”</p>
<p>“Staying with my dad!” Gil chirped, though unlike every other time, this one seemed a bit strained, a forced sort of cheer to cover up a latent concern.</p>
<p>“…Your dad that doesn’t like you,” Chad said, because even if the pirate hadn’t talked about his father <em>much</em>, the things he had mentioned were all various forms of horrific abuse.  </p>
<p>“Yeah, well…” Gil scratched the back of his head bashfully. “I can’t get him to like me if I don’t <em>see</em> him, so…”</p>
<p><em>So</em>, Chad resigned himself to spending the night outside wherever the fuck Gaston lived just to make sure Gil was okay.  So much for being a cold-hearted killer.</p>
<p>“It’ll be fine!” Gil said, and he <em>almost</em> seemed to believe that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>As far as Chad could tell, things actually <em>were</em> fine when he holed up on a rooftop near what could only be described as a hunting lodge.  He used the binoculars he had painstakingly repaired to spy through the windows of the sturdy-enough building.  There were certain perks that came with being one of the major villains, and having a building that didn’t seem five seconds from falling apart appeared to be one of them.  Gaston’s Lodge was surrounded by stone and mortar walls that you might see in the Auradon countryside, inclosing what seemed to be a chicken coup, storage shed, and some other building with a chimney stack that <em>might</em> pass for a smithy.  Chad would have to sneak in to know for sure, but he had bigger issues. </p>
<p>Seeing Gaston, even at a distance, was just sort of… sad.  It was a man who was desperately grabbing onto what little strings of relevance he had left.  Chad was surprised to learn that he had two other sons besides Gil – twins who were eerie recreations of their father, all dark hair and muscles and not a lot of brain power.  The henchman LeFou – Gil’s ‘Uncle’, as he so put it – was there as well, though the man seemed to be a broken shell of himself, catering to the three older Gastons while buffering Gil from the others’ influence. </p>
<p>It wasn’t great, but things seemed to be fine, at least until Gil reappeared the next morning with a prominent limp and a brilliant black eye. </p>
<p>It took a lot of effort not to barge into that house and demand <em>answers</em> that moment.  Chad knew he’d have to wait until evening to get any sort of story out of Gil, so he retreated back to his woodland base and slept, knowing he’d need the energy for that night.</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure if Gil had been expecting him or not, but the teen didn’t seem surprised when Chad melted out of the shadows once he exited the Chip Shoppe the next evening.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker!</em>” he whispered excitedly, as that was the only sort of compromise Chad had managed with him in regards to maintaining a low profile. “Hey, so-”</p>
<p>“Which one of them hit you?” Chad asked, getting straight to the point.</p>
<p>Gil blinked, as though he’d completely forgotten about the injury. “Oh, it was all of them.  I didn’t duck fast enough.”</p>
<p>That wasn’t an <em>excuse</em>.</p>
<p>“Anyway,” Gil continued. “My dad wants to meet you!  Which um- he’s not cool like Uma so maybe you shouldn’t do it-”</p>
<p>“No.” Chad shook his head. “I think a little socializing is just what I need.” He let his hand tighten on the grip of his axe. “I’ll need someone to watch the beach for me though.  Could you do it?”</p>
<p>“Tonight?” Gil frowned. “I don’t know…”</p>
<p>“To help with Harry’s debt,” Chad continued.</p>
<p>That was all the reassurance Gil needed before he was nodding. “Okay, I can do that.”</p>
<p>“Better get moving,” Chad said, nodding away from the docks. “If I don’t get back tonight, stay until morning, okay?  I’ve got some food stashed there that’s about to go bad, so you could take care of that too.”</p>
<p>Hopefully Gil would register ‘take care of’ as ‘eat’ and not ‘throw to the fishes’, but there was only so much <em>nice</em> Chad could project.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ll go now,” Gil chirped. “Thanks, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” Chad echoed the familiar goodbye, climbing back to the rooftops as he set off for the Lodge, anger boiling low in his veins.    </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad entered through the backdoor because the front would have been expected, and also because the backdoor lock was a pathetic thing that took barely any effort to pick, which gave Chad ample opportunity to make a dynamic entrance. </p>
<p>He came in with both axes ready, letting the door slam against the wall to declare his presence, and watched as Gaston and the twins startled from their game of cards in what could be a living room.  LeFou was in the kitchen, already huddled against the wall, clad in a dirty apron that had seen better days.</p>
<p>“You wanted to talk?” Chad asked, cocking his head to the side.</p>
<p>Gaston recovered from his shock well enough, sliding to his feet with a large grin. “Ah, yes.  <em>Volker</em>, was it?  Gil has said a lot about you.”</p>
<p>“Has he mentioned we’re associates?” Chad pressed.</p>
<p>This prompted a round of laughter from the table, the twins following Gaston’s lead as he threw his head back with a bellow. “Gil may be my son, but we all know he’s of no use to anyone.  Why would you go through all this trouble for him?”</p>
<p>“He amuses me.” Would forever be the story Chad stuck with. “So he’s mine.  And I don’t like other people damaging what’s <em>mine</em>.”</p>
<p>“Now see here, <em>boy</em>.” Gaston scowled, the twins rising to their feet behind him. “I don’t care how many people you kill; Gil will always be <em>mine</em>.  And I won’t let anyone – not you or that whore of a pirate – tell me what to do with my property.”</p>
<p>“Then why don’t we negotiate?” Chad asked, hefting one of his axes against his shoulder. “See if we can come to an agreement?”</p>
<p>“He’s not for sale,” Gaston snapped, and then, well, Chad may have snapped too.</p>
<p>Which was unfortunate for everyone involved, really.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad waited for Gil on the rooftop overlooking the Chip Shoppe, knowing his squishy little friend would get banished sooner or later and for once, he wanted it to be sooner.  His patience was rewarded by hour two, and <em>yes</em>, Gil remembered to look up, scanning the rooftops just in case and grinning when he caught sight of Chad. </p>
<p>The prince disappeared before he could do something stupid like <em>wave</em>, scaling his way down to the dirty paths of the Isle and corralling Gil back towards his house rather than Chad’s stretch of beach.</p>
<p>“There’s good news and there’s bad news,” he explained, keeping their pace to a relaxed stroll despite the fact that he wanted nothing more than to sprint across town. “They’re both the same though.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Gil blinked. “So that’s… good?  And bad.”</p>
<p>“Pretty much,” Chad agreed, then managed to keep Gil quiet until they were safely back at Gaston’s house.  It seemed that while he was gone LeFou had cleaned up some of the mess, was sweeping up some of the broken plate ware when they entered, and he offered them a shy wave. “Alright, so-” Chad sighed. “Your dad and brothers are dead.”</p>
<p>“Um.” Chad could <em>see</em> Gil struggle to process this, despite the fact that Troi’s body was still twisted at a sickening angle in the hallway. “That’s- um.” He frowned. “They’re my family, though.”</p>
<p>“Family doesn’t hurt each other, Gil.” Chad had to fight to keep his tone level. “They don’t beat you or call you stupid – when they do that, they <em>stop</em> being family.” </p>
<p>Gil considered this. “…oh, okay.  That makes sense.”</p>
<p>“Right.” Chad sighed. “Our goal here now is to keep your uncle safe – without Gaston’s reputation scaring people away, some… less savory people might come out of the woodwork to attack.” Across the room, LeFou tensed, but Chad waved him off. “Don’t worry, I’ve planned for this.”  </p>
<p>“What’s the plan?” Gil asked.  Gil loved plans because they provided direction and direction meant he didn’t have to think and if he committed to the <em>plan</em> he couldn’t be wrong, and therefor punished.</p>
<p>“We let everyone else know that your uncle is under my protection,” Chad explained. “Gaston was intimidating, but the guy who<em> killed</em> him is probably a psycho, so…” He pulled out a paintbrush he had scavenged on the way over. “We’re going to take some drastic measures.  You said Harry designed me a symbol?”</p>
<p>It was but one of the many adorable things Gil had rambled to him since Harry’s rescue.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Gil chirped. “I think he just wanted something to throw knives at, since he doesn’t know what you look like.”</p>
<p>“Go get that drawing and we’ll paint it on the fences come sundown.” There was nothing less intimidating than seeing three dudes struggle to paint shit in blood during the light of the day. “Meanwhile, I’m gonna cut off their heads and put them on spikes to ward everyone off.  There’ll be a smell, but that should be crazy enough to keep people from messing with you.”</p>
<p>“And if they don’t?” LeFou asked, eyes large and worried.  The poor guy had suffered as much abuse under Gaston as Gil had, if not more, and he sure as fuck hadn’t deserved to be on the Isle.  Not for the minimal crimes he’d committed.</p>
<p>“I’m going to start setting up traps now,” Chad explained. “So if they <em>don’t</em>, they will immediately regret it, and then they’ll regret it more when I also chop off their heads.”</p>
<p>“Bloodthirsty,” Gil murmured, sounding appreciative and awed, the way he got whenever he talked about Uma. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>“With the <em>drawing!</em>” Chad reminded him as he jogged out the door, Chad surveying the room to get an idea of weak points. </p>
<p>Yeah, this would do.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Um…” LeFou said halfway through clean up while Chad was whittling a pile of wood spikes in the living room area. “What do you want in return for your protection?”</p>
<p>Chad actually… hadn’t thought of that.  The entire reason he had done any of this was for <em>Gil</em>, and the far-reaching implications had sort of escaped his notice in his efforts to immediately solve the problem. </p>
<p>He couldn’t hesitate though, because even for LeFou (who seemed to love Gil something fierce, seemed filled with shame at how little he was able to protect the kid), he couldn’t seem weak. “I use this place as a safe house when I’m on this side of the Isle.” Which was becoming more and more frequent. “We’ll get a better setup for the chickens, and then I’ll take some of the eggs too.”  If he could find some way to rig up an incubator, they could raise <em>more</em> chickens, maybe build more chicken coups.  Start farming some for consumption rather than egg production. “You’re the one that patches Gil up when he gets hurt, right?”</p>
<p>LeFou startled, like he hadn’t expected Chad to realize that. “…when I can.  He gets some treatment from the Wharf Rats too.”</p>
<p>Though that was mostly Uma and Harry, since the others didn’t like Gil much. </p>
<p>Chad didn’t know <em>why</em>; he was the best thing Chad had found on the Isle so far.</p>
<p>“What if I teach you how to take care of more advanced wounds?” Chad pressed, not really a question. “I can supply you with medical herbs and basic supplies.  We set you up as a doctor you could start pulling in your own business, and under my protection no one would try to stiff you.” Or they would, but it’d only happen once. “I take a small cut of the profits and keep you supplied.  That way, we’re <em>both</em> earning our keep.”</p>
<p>It made a business venture rather than another set of muscle for LeFou to hide behind, allowed him the freedom to contribute to his own wellbeing in a way that didn’t involve being someone’s slave or punching bag. </p>
<p>“That work for you?” Chad asked, though again, it wasn’t really a question.</p>
<p>It seemed like LeFou didn’t know what to do with this basic generosity, like it was more than he had ever dared to hope for, and all at once Chad found himself cursing the name of every royal that had supported the creation of the Isle.  This was not how things should have been done.  They should have been <em>better</em>.</p>
<p>“…yeah,” LeFou said eventually. “Yeah, that works for me.”</p>
<p>“Great.” Chad nodded. “Pleasure going into business with you.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Volker.”</p>
<p>It would take some getting used to, hearing that name from someone besides Gil, though Chad had the feeling it was going to happen far more in the near future.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad didn’t see the Isle’s reaction to the Lodge’s redecorated fence because he was busy refining the trap system outside the house, though Gil told him there was quite the <em>stir</em> out on the town.  Some wanted to know if it was Gil’s handiwork, but the blond had dutifully passed on the information Chad had impressed upon him – that <em>Volker </em>his ‘associate’ (Chad made him chant the word ten times in a row again, until he remembered it flawlessly) – had taken his dad and brothers out for the thrill of it.  He spent the day telling and retelling the tale in the Chip Shoppe until the rumors had spread all over the Isle, about how <em>Volker</em> was hot for blood and had already claimed the Lodge as a base – was eager for any new challengers that might come his way, looking to expand their territory now that Gaston was gone.</p>
<p>The shop in town – Gaston’s Duel’s Without Rules – had already been shut down for the foreseeable future, locked up and trapped to ward off any other opportunists searching for more real estate.  With most of the running staff <em>dead</em>, Chad couldn’t keep it operating (for the moment), but he <em>did</em> relocate a majority of the weapons, shields, and hunting gear he’d found inside, storing it at LeFou’s Lodge – so declared in Gaston’s dried blood. </p>
<p>Kind of poetic, if you thought about it.</p>
<p>They got about two days of peace before his traps were tested for the first time.  Fortunately, Chad had been on the roof when it happened, keeping an eye out for areas that needed patching when he caught sight of what could only be a <em>mob</em> funneling down the road.  He checked the woods behind the house and found them clear before scrambling towards the closest window, hollering for LeFou.</p>
<p>“<em>We’ve got company!</em>” he shouted, squinting down the narrow staircase until he saw the man scrambling into view. “Back way’s clear!  Go through the forest and lock yourself in the shop!  If I don’t come for you by tomorrow, I’m dead!” He saw LeFou hesitate, because he really <em>was</em> too good for this place. “<em>Go</em>, get out of here!  I can take care of these clowns, but I can’t if you don’t <em>go!</em>”  </p>
<p>It seemed to be all the motivation LeFou needed before he was scrambling out of the house, and Chad was only distantly aware of him cutting his way through the woods as he readied his bow and arrows.</p>
<p>The downside to mob tactics was that it relied entirely on strength in numbers, which, depending on how much organization was involved, usually meant that they weren’t capable of coordinating complicated tactics, especially on the Isle, when most information had to be passed by word of mouth.  It meant that while the group approaching the lodge <em>was </em>impressive, they were also funneling themselves along a narrow, predictable path that Chad had already laced with traps.</p>
<p>So once they got to the first trap marker, Chad readied an arrow and let it <em>fly</em>, triggering the first release mechanism so a hail of spikes would rain down among the crowd.</p>
<p>It was instant chaos, people – and <em>goblins</em>, apparently – sprinting forward to get out of the way of the attack, inadvertently falling in the line of fire of Chad’s second spike trap, which he set off in the next instant. </p>
<p>Despite having to duck between the dead and wounded bodies to proceed forward, the mob continued on at a faster pace, trying to outmaneuver Chad’s traps despite not knowing what they were.  By the time they’d gotten to the Lodge’s gates, the group was significantly smaller and still had a bounty of traps to get through. </p>
<p>Chad started picking them off one by one, using his distance to his advantage since they seemed to be only armed with close range weapons.  He fired until the was out of arrows, until what was once a horde was down to an assortment of about twelve goblins and humans, then met them at the gate.  He used the narrow door to funnel them in one at a time, knocking aside their weapons with one axe before dealing a finishing blow with the other, until at last it was just him and a pile of bodies. </p>
<p>The streets were caked in blood, bodies strewn everywhere.  Chad didn’t exit the house until he was sure that a second wave wasn’t forthcoming.  He picked his way towards an attacker whose death was imminent though not necessarily soon, one of the spikes having caught him in the stomach. </p>
<p>“You’re dying,” Chad said simply, letting his axe rest against his shoulder as the poor man squinted up at him. “Tell me who sent you and I’ll make your death quick.”</p>
<p>The man had nothing left in him and gave up easily. “M-Maleficent,” he gasped. “Maleficent sent us.”</p>
<p>Well, that explained the goblins.</p>
<p>“Thank you, sir,” Chad said, figured he’d give this man one last courtesy before died, before bringing his axe down in a decisive blow.  </p>
<p>It was a bloody afternoon.</p>
<p>And they weren’t even done yet.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“What the hell?” Chad snapped, not bothering to mask his entrance as he stormed into Bargain Castle, ignoring the bodies of the guards he had fallen behind him as he descended upon Maleficent. “Gaston wasn’t even one of your <em>cronies</em>.”</p>
<p>Maleficent – so much smaller and daintier than any of her legends let on – considered him with an open sort of surprise that came from being rarely questioned, but Chad wasn’t <em>anyone</em> and he knew her magic was lost on the Isle, which gave him the upper hand in this situation.</p>
<p>“Volker, was it?” she recovered smoothly. “I must admit that I admire your tenacity, but you have to understand that I simply can’t ignore such drastic measures.”</p>
<p>“That’s not an unreasonable response from a leader such as yourself,” Chad gave her, leveling his axe onto his shoulder. “And out of respect for that mindset, I believe I have a solution that will keep you from ever having to ignore such things again.”</p>
<p>And then he slammed his blade into her throat.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until he heard a surprised cry from the corner that he realized they had company, not that he could worry about it because <em>blood</em> – <em>fairy blood</em>, and even without magic that was a thing he <em>needed</em> so he focused on positioning Maleficent’s body over a table to maximize blood collection before turning his attention to whom he assumed was the evil fairy’s daughter.</p>
<p>“What the <em>fuck?</em>” The purple-haired girl cried. “You just killed my mom!”</p>
<p>“I sincerely hope you didn’t like her.” That seemed to be a running theme with the villain kids, but abuse could do weird things to people, so you never knew. “She sent a small horde of goblins and henchmen to kill me.  <em>Me</em>.” Chad tossed his head. “They weren’t even <em>good</em>.  Of course I had to respond.” </p>
<p>And now he had a dead Mistress of Evil on his hands.</p>
<p>Chad cleared his throat. “So uh- did you hate her or am I going to have to kill you to?”</p>
<p>This seemed to startle the thin girl out of her confusion. “Oh, fuck no, I hated her.”</p>
<p>“Great,” Chad chirped. “Then this worked out well for everyone.  You’re good with a paintbrush, right?”</p>
<p>He remembered Gil spouting something about <em>Mal’s graffiti art</em> or whatever but all of his stories seemed to blend together after a while (so Chad told himself despite hanging on the thread of every one because he was pathetic).</p>
<p>“Why?” Mal asked, staring at the ruined brush Chad took from his pocket. “Wait, that stuff you did to Gaston’s house-”</p>
<p>“Yep.” Chad tossed her the tool. “Gonna put some heads on your fence.  Hope you wanted to redecorate.”</p>
<p>The girl scowled at him. “This place isn’t <em>yours</em>.”</p>
<p>“It’s not?” Chad blinked, making a show of it. “So you don’t want me to back the story that you killed your mother?  That we were acting in a partnership?” He cocked his head to the side. “I can either own you, or we can have a working business relationship – the call is yours,” he decided. “Either way, some blood graffiti’s going to need to be put on those gates, and we’re losing daylight.”</p>
<p>Mal considered him for a moment, then <em>scowled</em>.</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” she snapped. “But we’re partners.  I’m not afraid of you.”</p>
<p>“Then you’re stupid,” Chad countered. “But I can work with that.”</p>
<p>He’d certainly worked with worse. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“You got any terms?” Mal asked when Chad was almost out the door, on his way to retrieve LeFou from the Duel Shop before heading back to the Lodge.</p>
<p>“Of course I have terms,” Chad muttered, even if he hadn’t really thought them out. “We can hash out the details later, but for now just keep doing what you’re doing, except lay off LeFou and Gil.” He paused for a moment. “And the Wharf Rats too.”</p>
<p>“<em>What?</em>” Mal snapped. “I can’t just let Uma run free; she’ll take my turf!”</p>
<p>“Then come to an agreement,” Chad said, refusing to back down. “The Wharf Rats amuse me, therefore they’re off limits.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Mal muttered, crossing her arms, seemingly oblivious to how close the blood-splattered brush was to her clothes. “But you’re gonna help me deal with it since it’s your terms.”</p>
<p>“<em>Later</em>,” Chad snapped. “I’ve got other shit to deal with right now.”</p>
<p>Mostly, he needed to collect a bunch of dead bodies before someone else could scavenge them, and then figure out what to do with <em>those</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“You know, it’s a shame these aren’t like, cows or something,” Gil mused, cheerfully dumping his latest corpse into the back of the wagon they’d found in the storage shed.  The goblin bodies were separated into their own pile, Chad might not know a lot about the Isle but he was pretty sure there were a few crazy witches who would pay them for the potion ingredients they provided. “Then we could eat them.”</p>
<p>Chad paused mid-drag of his own body, considering this. “Who says we can’t?”</p>
<p>Which was how he and Gil came to sell the freshest looking corpses to Frollo’s Creperie, Shan Yu’s Dim Sum emporium, the Slop Shop, and a veritable assortment of other merchandizing establishments willing to pay a pretty penny to the blood-spattered <em>Volker</em>.  Of course, none of these had their heads since <em>those</em> were busy being spiked to LeFou’s gate – or Mal’s, when she’d complained that her mother’s head looked lonely.</p>
<p>Only on the Isle.</p>
<p>They managed to offload a lot of the goblin corpses onto Madam Mim in exchange for some poison components Chad had been searching for, along with a few tonics that were more alchemy than magic, which made them actually useful.  </p>
<p>“Wow,” Gil said sometime later, when they’d collapsed in LeFou’s Lodge and Chad’s mind was buzzing with plans of reloading his traps, on how best to utilize Mal’s influence, on getting new clothes since these were so very ruined. “We have a lot of weapons now.”</p>
<p>“We do,” Chad agreed. “We’ll have to return them to the market slowly in order to maintain their worth.” At Gil’s blank look, he elaborated, “Keep the demand high and the supply to meet that demand low, and that way we can get more for them.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Gil said, even though he clearly didn’t understand it. “I guess that makes sense.  And um…” He fidgeted with his bandana. “Thanks for killing my dad, and all.”</p>
<p>Even in this, Gil couldn’t help but be sweet.  It was like in his <em>blood</em>, somehow, and Chad couldn’t help but wonder how the blond could have ever come from Gaston’s line.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome, Gil,” Chad murmured, grateful for the mask that hid most of his features.  </p>
<p>Gil shifted uneasily. “Does um… this mean we’re friends?”</p>
<p>“Associates,” Chad corrected, because on the Isle friends were weaknesses but <em>‘associates’</em> could be threats, and if everyone thought he <em>‘associated’</em> with Gil, then he could keep the pirate safe.</p>
<p>“<em>Associates</em>,” Gil whispered, like it was a magical thing and not the title Chad had used all along. “Yeah, I like that.”</p>
<p>Chad did too.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The reorganization of LeFou’s Lodge went quickly after they disposed of the rest of the bodies in the bay.  The docks by <em>The Revenge</em> were already infested with sharks, so Chad went ahead and gave them a freebie to keep them isolated to one area of the ocean, centralizing their presence so the rest of the docks could be hazard-free. </p>
<p>The things they didn’t want, they sorted into a box to trade or sell, and the things that could be of use were organized into piles for weapons, planning, medicine, and food.  The Lodge wasn’t huge but it <em>was</em> one of the more stable buildings on the Isle, which made it of use.  Chad was in the middle of re-rigging the basic traps to ward off trespassers (in the instance that Gaston’s rotting head and the blood smeared graffiti didn’t do the trick) when he noticed a small form huddled outside the front gate. </p>
<p>On closer inspection, Chad realized it was a teenager, the black hair with white tips and red, black, and white wardrobe indicative of a De Ville.  What was Cruella’s kid’s name?  Carlos, maybe.  Gil had mentioned it once. </p>
<p>Chad didn’t know what the kid could want from LeFou’s Lodge, but it was obvious he wanted <em>something</em>, though was still building the courage to decide exactly what.</p>
<p>If he wasn’t going to clear out anytime soon, Chad decided to take pity on him so he could get out of the way, swinging down from the stone wall to land in front of the kid in a noiseless crouch.</p>
<p>“You want something?”</p>
<p>The intrusion was unexpected, and on reflex the kid flinched away from him, gaining himself a few feet of protection while he steadied himself against the perceived threat.  He must have recognized Chad’s clothing because his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, though not enough to be labeled anything near ‘at ease’.</p>
<p>“Yes,” he decided, getting straight to the point. “I um- have a proposition for you.”</p>
<p>Chad cocked his head to the side to show his interest. “I’m listening.”   </p>
<p>“Could we-” The kid swallowed, flicking his gaze to the house. “It’s private.”</p>
<p>Chad rolled his eyes. “You can get a tour of the garden.” But anything else was going to cost him, on the offhand chance this was a sort of scouting party for future unpleasantries.</p>
<p>Carlos took the compromise for what it was and followed Chad inside, eyes glued to the ground as they took the gravel path to the back of the house, where the chicken coop was.  Chad had put in the beginnings of a garden that morning, wooden planting beds enriched with dead goblin body parts and rotten wood, the dirt already prepped and ready for seed planting by a few strategically placed runes. </p>
<p>“Okay,” Chad said once they were among the familiar clucks of chickens. “What do you want?”</p>
<p>“I need you to kill my mom.” Carlos said it in a rush, but his eyes were fierce and determined, despite being a small slip of a thing.  On closer inspection, Chad could see the bruises forming on Carlos’ throat, old cigarette burns dotting the skin of his arms that his clothes didn’t cover.  He was underfed too, more so than most kids on the Isle. “You like doing that, right?”</p>
<p>“I do,” Chad agreed, because he had a reputation to maintain. “But I don’t do things for free.” </p>
<p>Regardless of whether he liked it or not.</p>
<p>Carlos scowled, though looked as though he’d been expecting this. “I’m a good handyman,” he offered. “I can get you a generator, or repair something for you.”</p>
<p>“We’re talking about permanently disposing of what seems to be a major problem for you,” Chad countered, even though he knew this was something that was going to happen, knew it the same way he’d known when Gil had come to him with one too many bruises, trying to smile through the pain. “Gonna need more than a generator.” He considered his options. “How about a mutually-beneficial arrangement?  I take care of your mom and claim you under my protection.  Anyone messes with you, I kill them – enough said.” It was one way to get people to stop messing with what was his. “In return, you build stuff for me, unless it’s to your active detriment.”</p>
<p>Carlos blinked at him.</p>
<p>Chad rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m bloodthirsty, not an asshole.  I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He hoped. “But you’ll get food and protection and whatever electronics I can salvage from the docks.  Is that good?”</p>
<p>It seemed good, though for Carlos it also seemed too good to be true, certainly more than he’d hoped for.</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “I’m trying to build an empire, here,” he explained. “Best way to promote a functional army is to make it beneficial to everyone.  I’ve already got Mal on my side.” Which was something she wasn’t exactly happy about, but whatever, it was still true. “Things can only go up from here.”</p>
<p>This still didn’t seem to satisfy Carlos, but Chad didn’t expect it to.  It wasn’t like the kid had too many good things in his life.  </p>
<p>“Okay,” Carlos said eventually, holding out his hand. “Deal.”</p>
<p>“Perfect.” Chad grinned underneath his mask. “I’ll even throw in her henchmen too, if you’d like.”</p>
<p><em>Finally</em>, Carlos smiled. “I um- would like that.  Yes.”</p>
<p>“More the merrier,” Chad said, fingering the hilt of his axe. </p>
<p>Looks like he had another few murders to plan.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to everyone for your enthusiastic feedback!!  Your support is always greatly appreciated, especially at the beginning of a new story!!!</p>
<p>I hope you enjoy this crazy ride and this darker version of Chad, because he’s going to be around for a while ^_^</p>
<p>Story notes: </p>
<p>The selling the bodies to a food shop thing was very much inspired by the musical 'Sweeney Todd', wherein murdered people are baked into meat pies. </p>
<p>For reference, the LeFou I picture is the Josh Gad, from the live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, who is a cutie patootie in just about every role he does :)</p>
<p>Until next time :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Puppy Protection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite the fact that Chad had taken out two major villains in the course of a week and should really focus on stabilizing his control over their assets, he decided to take care of Carlos’ problem as quickly as possible.  This was mostly because of the way the young teen seemed to view the world as a constant source of pain, his eyes scanning for the next punishment that would befall him. </p>
<p>Under Chad’s orders, Carlos packed up anything of immediate value to him while Hell Hall was empty and hid out in LeFou’s Lodge, keeping the older gentleman company while Chad got on his merry way. </p>
<p>The actual disposal of Cruella and her two bizarrely dedicated henchmen was almost lackluster.  Chad had more of a challenge navigating surprise beartraps than he did taking off their heads.  He would have felt bad about it, but then he remembered the way Carlos flinched away from all touch and immediately disregarded that possibility.</p>
<p>When he was finished, he snuck towards the side gate and waved Mal and Gil inside, shutting the rusty thing behind them.</p>
<p>“Why am I <em>here</em>?” Mal hissed, though she notably followed where Chad directed her, a frown settled on her lips when they entered Hell Hall’s parlor. “This place sucks.”</p>
<p>“I have need of your artistic flare,” Chad explained, coming upon Horace’s body.  He’d angled it so that as much of the blood fell into a nearby bucket as it could. “Here.” He handed her the bucket and the bloody brush he’d acquired the first time they’d done this song and dance. “Go paint your <em>‘Long Live Evil’</em> and that V thing you did on Bargain Castle on the walls surrounding the property.  Gil and I need to stake the heads before dumping the bodies.”</p>
<p>“You killed <em>Cruella?</em>” Mal asked, and Chad wasn’t sure why this was shocking; he’d already killed two other villains. “What’d she do to you?”</p>
<p>“She damaged what was mine,” Chad said simply, which had the benefit of being true. “And now we’ve got another base.  Win-win.”</p>
<p>“Not for Cruella,” Mal muttered, but she didn’t seem that upset, taking the blood and ruined brush to set off to work.</p>
<p>“I’ve got more if you need it!” Chad called after her, then got to work with Gil spiking the heads, which was something he had never expected to become a familiar routine, but here they were.</p>
<p>They wrapped the bodies in the most useless rags they could find, things that wouldn’t even pass for bandages, and loaded up the cart Chad had brought from LeFou’s house so they could dump them in the bay.  With the late-night hour, they attracted some attention, but Chad’s blood-spattered body was enough to warn off any ne'er-do-wells.  </p>
<p>By the time they made it back to Hell Hall, Mal was on her second bucket of blood and had finished decorating the walls, standing back to admire her craftsmanship.</p>
<p>“Perfect,” Chad declared, realizing credit needed to be given where it was due. “You going back to Bargain Castle, or do you want to stay the night?”</p>
<p>Gil and Chad were already scheduled to stay, if only to clean away the blood (Gil) or start setting up traps for those who considered preying on Carlos (Chad).</p>
<p>Mal contemplated her options. “‘Suppose I can take a look around.”   </p>
<p>“Just watch out for beartraps,” Gil chirped, and it was worth it to see the look of surprise on Mal’s face.</p>
<p>Yeah, she wasn’t the only one with problems.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“What was <em>wrong</em> with that lady?” Mal bemoaned while admiring her reflection in the cracked parlor mirror, turning this way and that to see all angles of the fur coat she was modeling. “She had like eighteen fur coats and wore <em>none of them</em>.”</p>
<p>“What can I say?” Chad huffed, greasing up the hinges of the liberated beartraps for optimum silence when he relocated them. “Crazy bitch be crazy.”</p>
<p>“Do you think I can have one of these?” she asked, making a sort of pouty face in the mirror.</p>
<p>“You’d have to ask Carlos.”</p>
<p>“But isn’t he like- <em>yours</em>, now?”</p>
<p>“His services, maybe,” Chad agreed. “But the guy survived however many years with an insane person and her two equally insane lackies.  I think that entitles him to whatever the fuck he can salvage for as long as he wants.” There was some banging from the kitchen, Gil likely emptying out the last of the dirty cleaning water. “Gil, go take a nap when you’re done with that!  You’re supposed to be at the Chip Shoppe bright and early!”</p>
<p>There was a pause, and then a belated, “<em>Okay!</em>” before Gil bumbled through the kitchen again.</p>
<p>Mal stared at him, toying with the collar of her jacket. “…do you like him?”</p>
<p>“I already told you the pirates amuse me,” Chad replied without inflection, though the bare truth of it was that <em>yes</em>, he did like Gil. “You can’t always be working, Mal.  You’ve got to find some source of entertainment to get you through the monotony of it all.”</p>
<p>“I don’t see how your life is monotonous,” she muttered, scrunching her nose. “What are you even doing, anyway?”</p>
<p>“I set up traps on all my hideouts.” Hell Hall was technically Carlos’, but as long as Chad acted like it was <em>his</em>, the effects of his reputation should keep the young De Ville safe. “Keeps the dumb and the bold away.” Once he was satisfied with the hinges of his current bear trap, he set his sights to another, starting the process over again. “Do you need any traps on Bargain Castle?  I expect your reputation does the bulk of the work, but some people are just-” He sighed. “Stupid.”</p>
<p>“Dunno,” Mal said, pursing her lips. “What were you thinking?”</p>
<p>“I <em>do</em> like poisons,” Chad offered, thinking of the goods he’d gotten from Madam Mim.</p>
<p>Though his smile was hidden under his mask, Mal matched it with equal enthusiasm, practically purring at the proposal. “As it so happens, so do <em>I</em>.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“So?” Mal began casually as Chad finished stringing together the last of the poison packs. “I heard you own Harry Hook.”</p>
<p>“The rumors are exaggerated,” Chad said, rolling his eyes as he finished fortifying Bargain Castle’s perimeter.  They’d do a few of the more key windows and entrances next, but this was a good start.</p>
<p>“Are they?” Mal challenged, watching him tie off the tripwire before they relocated to the castle proper. “So you didn’t slaughter Don Carnage’s crew because they took him?”</p>
<p>“I slaughtered Don Carnage’s crew because I felt like it.” Which was a grossly simplified way of looking at things, but a good enough story. “Harry being in my debt is just an added bonus.”</p>
<p>“A <em>life</em> debt,” Mal pressed, seeming stuck on this. “That means you own him.”</p>
<p>“Don’t want him,” Chad explained as they started on the first set of windows. “And I certainly don’t need him.  Gil’s been working to pay off his debt.”</p>
<p>“So you own <em>Gil</em>,” Mal declared. “But isn’t he trying to get back in with the Wharf Rats?”</p>
<p><em>Ugh</em>, these politics were stupid. “Yep,” Chad said, emphasizing the ‘p’. “And I’m allowing it-”</p>
<p>“-because they amuse you, yeah, I’ve heard the pitch.” Mal sighed. “But the bottom line is, Harry <em>owes</em> you, a lot, and if you don’t call on that debt it’s going to make us look weak.”</p>
<p>“Do you have any suggestions?” Chad was genuinely curious about this. “Because I wasn’t lying when I said I had no use for him.  Certainly don’t have use for someone whose allegiance lies solely with someone else.” Gil had described Harry as Uma’s number one supporter, someone who would gladly – come hell or high water – fight for her.</p>
<p>“Maybe we can use this to negotiate with the Wharf Rats,” Mal mused. “They’d <em>have</em> to hear us out because you own Harry.  You could make them agree to our terms and they wouldn’t be able to argue with us.  Just- let the threat of taking Harry away hang over their heads.  They don’t need to know you don’t want him.”</p>
<p>Chad considered this.  It wasn’t a bad plan.</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” he sighed. “Finish distributing these poison packs and I’ll see if I can get the ball rolling on that.  I need to talk to Carlos anyway.”</p>
<p>“Your new little boy-toy,” Mal fluttered her lashes in a mocking tease. “Is that why you don’t want Harry?  Got Carlos to satisfy your cravings?”</p>
<p>“He’s a mechanic, Mal,” Chad drawled. “The only needs he’ll be satisfying are my desires for heat in the winter and repaired electronics.  And if anyone wants something <em>else</em> from him, they’ll have to talk to my axe.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay.” Mal held her hands up. “Tou-<em>chy</em>.”  </p>
<p>“Good help is so hard to find, my dear.” Chad sighed. “You’d learn to be protective of it too.”</p>
<p>“I’m good help, right?” Mal asked casually, though he could see a hint of longing in her eyes, perhaps a desire for reassurance that she’d never gotten from her mother.</p>
<p>“So far, yes,” he allowed. “And if anyone steps even the slightest <em>hint</em> out of line with you, they’ll get my axe too.”</p>
<p>He didn’t imagine the way she preened under his attention, and maybe it should be worrying – it <em>definitely</em> wasn’t healthy, but as with most things on the Isle, it would do.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>When Chad returned to LeFou’s Lodge it was around dinner time and everything was relatively in one piece.  Because he was not a complete asshole, he stopped by his beach and forest hideouts to grab some food supplies for dinner, and when he entered the warm lodge, LeFou and Carlos were working in companionable silence. </p>
<p>Carlos seemed to have taken over Chad’s job of whittling his recovered wood spikes into fine points once more, though the teen scrambled up from his task, setting one of Gaston’s hunting knives aside the moment he saw Chad. “LeFou told me you needed to reset the traps,” he explained. “So I just thought-”</p>
<p>“That’s good,” Chad waved him off, sensing from the young teen’s posture that he was expecting some kind of punishment for being a go-getter. “Thank you, Carlos.”</p>
<p>Still torn between cowering and standing his ground, Carlos blinked at him. “…you’re welcome.”</p>
<p>“Your mom and her henchman are dead, by the way,” Chad explained, setting the fish and vegetables on the kitchen counter near LeFou. “Do you know how to prep fish?”</p>
<p>The man blinked. “I do.  Yeah, I can…” His gaze shifted to the vegetables.</p>
<p>“I was thinking soup,” Chad explained. “Or maybe just fried fish.  Are you okay making dinner?”</p>
<p>LeFou did not seem to know what to do with such basic questions, which made Chad think that maybe Gaston hadn’t asked them all that much.  Seemed like more of a ‘demand’ kind of guy anyway.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” LeFou said eventually. “I can do that.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Chad offered him a nod before moving back to Carlos, who had watched the exchange with an unreadable look on his face.  To counteract this, Chad pretended that nothing was wrong, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Here.” He offered the paper to Carlos. “This is a map of all the traps I set around Hell Hall.  I’ll get you one for the lodge later, just be sure to use the main entrance until then.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Carlos stared at it. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome.” See, they could do polite. “Sort of had to give the Hall the same treatment as this place and Bargain Castle, so unfortunately you’re going to have to stare at your mom’s rotting head for a while, but the birds should pick it clean soon enough.”</p>
<p>Carlos just stared at him.</p>
<p>“Anyway,” Chad continued. “Hell Hall’s yours, but you’re welcome to stay here if you need to.  Might be easier for food distribution purposes.” Chad would have to think more on that later. “I was thinking for your first project you could look into constructing a green house.  Don’t worry about the supplies; I just need your plans.”</p>
<p>“…what’s a green house?” Carlos asked, keeping his voice <em>very</em> neutral.</p>
<p>A fair enough question. “It’s a glass-enclosed structure where you can set up a garden,” Chad explained. “Winter’s going to be coming soon, and we’ll need to have something like it set up by then.” Chad didn’t want to even <em>think</em> about relying on the barges to keep them fed. “I know the basics of the outside, but we’ll probably need some kind of plant-friendly generator inside to keep them at ideal temperatures.”</p>
<p><em>Ugh</em>, so many things to do.</p>
<p>“I can make the glass in the smithy,” Chad continued, bitter that he hadn’t been able to check up on it before now. “If you can give me an idea of how thick to make it…”</p>
<p>“I’ll start researching,” Carlos pledged. “Sketch something out soon.”</p>
<p>“Let me know if anyone gives you trouble.” Because in the eye of the public, Carlos belonged to Chad now, and Chad wouldn’t let his things get hurt.</p>
<p>Before Carlos could reply, Chad heard someone knocking on the firm wooden gate outside, and he went to go answer it.</p>
<p>It was Mal standing on the other side. “Figured you had this place trapped up too,” she said, strolling in carefully. “Finished with Bargain Castle, I wanted to be here for when you made plans.”</p>
<p>“Fair enough,” Chad guided her into the Lodge. “LeFou, Carlos – this is Mal.  Mal-” He motioned towards the other two.  “-this is LeFou and Carlos.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Mal disregarded LeFou, choosing to focus on Carlos. “So you’re the <em>‘mechanic’</em>.”</p>
<p>“None of that shit now.” Chad rolled his eyes. “We’re all working towards the same thing here.  Survival, with the least amount of assholes fucking with us as possible.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Mal huffed, and Carlos just sort of blinked at the daughter of evil, likely not expecting her and Chad’s dynamic. “Where’s Fish Bait?”</p>
<p>“Probably wrapping up at the Chip Shoppe.” Uma had Gil working long hours to get back into her good graces, though hopefully he’d be back in time for dinner. “Since you’re here, I wanted to talk to you about recruitment.”</p>
<p>“Recruitment?” Mal echoed. “Thought you didn’t want more people.”</p>
<p>“Wanting and needing are two different things,” Chad said, neatly sidestepping the accusation. “We need people to gather supplies.  Do you know any unclaimed kids looking for a home?  We could use them.”</p>
<p>Mal rolled her eyes. “They’re <em>unclaimed</em> because they aren’t any good at gathering supplies, Volker.” </p>
<p>“Not those kind of supplies.” Chad narrowed his gaze, letting her know she was very close to stepping out of line. “I want the stuff that’s of no use to anyone.  Food that’s unsafe for consumption.  Rotting wood.  The stuff you’d have to dumpster dive for.  We’ll need it to start composting.”  At Mal and Carlos’ blank looks, he continued, “Composting makes mulch, which is what will allow a garden to actually <em>grow</em> here.  So we need people to gather <em>that</em> as well as learn how to garden.”  He scrunched his nose in thought. “I’d offer them the same benefits as you guys – protection, food, shelter.  Carlos-” he turned his attention to the young inventor. “If we managed to recruit anyone, could we house them in Hell Hall?  You’d be in charge.”</p>
<p>“What about Bargain Castle?” Mal asked, arms folding across her chest.</p>
<p>“Didn’t think you’d want company,” Chad replied. “But if you’re open to it, we could house them there instead.  Since the <em>tragic</em> death of your mother’s henchmen, there is certainly enough room.”</p>
<p>“I’ll take them,” Mal decided, though <em>what</em> obligation this was out of, Chad didn’t know. “Show Uma she’s not the only one that can run a crew.”</p>
<p>Ah, that was it, then.</p>
<p>“Great,” Chad said. “You can get to work on that.”</p>
<p>Further conversation was interrupted by Gil’s cheerful appearance, the pirate moving with a certain levity he’d been missing for the last few days.  His face lit up when he realized they had company. “Hi, Mal!  Carlos!” He turned towards the kitchen. “Uncle LeFou!  And<em>-</em>” He bounced over to Chad, offering a fist to bump. “<em>Volker</em>.”</p>
<p>“Hey, Gil.” It was nice to see the blond completely unharmed for once, though this likely had to do with word of their association spreading around the Isle. “Uma close to letting you back into the crew?”</p>
<p>“I think so!” This had been Gil’s response for the last few days, so Chad was not entirely optimistic.</p>
<p>“…does she like you enough to take a request?” Chad moved on. “I need a meeting with her.”</p>
<p>Somehow, Gil managed to light up more. “That would make her <em>super</em> happy!”</p>
<p>“She will be less happy when she realizes what it’s about,” Mal muttered, but Chad waved her off.</p>
<p>“That’s great, Gil.” Chad couldn’t be openly adoring with the others present, couldn’t be openly adoring <em>ever</em> because he had a reputation, but he <em>really</em> wanted to. “Could you arrange for one the day after tomorrow?  Let her know Mal will be there too.”</p>
<p>“Yep.” Gil nodded, face scrunched in concentration. “I can definitely do that.  This is going to be so <em>great</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chad sighed. “Here’s to hoping.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“I get it,” Mal said later, when they were hashing out their list of terms for the Wharf Rats. “You don’t need Carlos to satisfy your pleasure when you’ve got <em>Gil-</em>”</p>
<p>“Want to test me?” Chad asked, keeping his voice deceptively mild.</p>
<p>Suffice it to say, the subject was immediately dropped.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Because Chad was a generous soul, they had the meeting in the Chip Shoppe, letting Uma have the benefit of a ‘home field advantage’ to ease her concerns.  To calm <em>Chad’s</em> mind, he kept Gil on their side of the negotiations as somewhat of a human shield, a warning to Uma of what <em>could</em> happen should she decide to step out of line.</p>
<p>“Volker,” she greeted with a sharp grin, her crew scattered behind her in the otherwise empty shop.  The smile dimmed when she caught sight of Chad’s companion. “And <em>Mal</em>.  To what do I owe the pleasure?”</p>
<p>Chad got straight to the point. “I’d like to settle a debt.”</p>
<p>“You can’t have Harry,” she snarled, her first mate mimicking the action behind her, always just over her shoulder, his signature hook held at the ready.</p>
<p>Chad rolled his eyes. “I don’t <em>want</em> Harry.”</p>
<p>“You can’t have Gil either.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need Gil.” The distinction was important, for all that Chad was evil he didn’t feel like lying right in front of the guy. “What I want is to end your turf war once and for all.  We can establish some boundaries and then we’ll be on our way.”</p>
<p>“And that’s gonna stop you from coming here?” Uma challenged.</p>
<p>“Of course not,” Chad scoffed. “I go where I want.  But it <em>will</em> stop you from fighting over businesses for protection money.  There’s no need to be uncivilized.” He cocked his head to the side. “Unless you want me to change my mind about your first mate there.” Chad made a show of looking him over. “He’s not half-bad looking.”</p>
<p>“<em>Half-bad?</em>” Harry snarled, cheeks flushing with outrage.</p>
<p>Mal cackled under her breath. “Come on, Shrimpy.  Let’s just settle this and move on, we all know you’re more focused on the sea than the land anyway.”</p>
<p>Uma considered her options. “Fine,” she said eventually. “But you leave Gil alone.”</p>
<p>“I’m not doing that,” Chad drawled, because he might as well be up front about it. “Look, we all want the same thing here – to survive with the least amount of hurdles in our way.  Well-” He splayed out the map he and Mal had spent most of the previous day working on. “This is a hurdle we don’t need.  Let’s fix it.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Uma said again, and then they got to haggling.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Did you see that?” Mal laughed when they retreated to LeFou’s Lodge. “The look on Harry’s face when you said ‘not half-bad’- <em>ugh</em>.” She pressed a hand against her chest. “I thought he was going to faint, he was blushing so hard.  Bet he wishes he was your property real bad.”</p>
<p>“Pretty sure he’s always like that,” Chad muttered, and on that subject, they agreed to disagree.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Being that their arrangement was relatively new, Chad didn’t think much when he didn’t see Carlos the next day, though that opinion quickly changed around lunchtime.  Chad understood that intellectually, he wasn’t the most desired company on account of being a blood thirsty maniac who shoved people’s heads on spikes, but free food was <em>free food</em>.  Even Mal wasn’t absent at food time, though she made it seem like a coincidence that she was there at all, accepting a plate from LeFou with a sniff before retreating to what had become the conference table, going over Chad’s plans with a feigned look of disinterest. </p>
<p>Chad gave him ten minutes, and then he was at Mal’s side, calculating. “Have you seen Carlos today?”</p>
<p>“He’s <em>your</em> pup.” Mal rolled her eyes as though exhausted by the commentary. “Shouldn’t you know where he is?”</p>
<p>“It was just a question, Mal,” Chad said with forced detachment, readying his weapons. He turned his attention to LeFou. “I’m going to go look for him, Mr. Proulx - I’ll try to be back by tonight.”</p>
<p>“What, you’re going to hunt the Isle because the kid’s late for lunch?” Mal asked, finishing her last few scraps before standing with a slow stretch.</p>
<p>“Carlos is mine,” Chad replied simply. “I protect what’s mine.  If he’s in trouble, I need to take care of the problem.  Preferably in an expeditious fashion.”</p>
<p>Mal sighed like it was the most mind-numbing thing in the world. “Fine.  I’ll come with you.”</p>
<p>“Worried about <em>my</em> pup?” Chad asked, already leading her towards the door.</p>
<p>Mal let off a small scoff. “It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.  Besides...” A wicked grin stole over her face. “Maybe I just want to see you in action.”</p>
<p>“Then follow me,” Chad said, instead of hoping that wouldn’t be necessary. </p>
<p>It might be useless to wish that this was an overreaction on his part, but he had a good enough feel for the Isle at this point to determine that Carlos was likely in some kind of trouble, and he needed to determine what it was.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They traveled by rooftop, Chad coaching Mal through his usual paths (Mal was substantially more agile than Gil, and could hold her own even if some of the routes were more dubious) until Hell Hall was finally in view.  It was less encouraging to see that two of the outer traps had been triggered on different sides of the dilapidated mansion - thin, scraggly men getting their legs stuck in the previously-hidden beartraps. </p>
<p>Chad cut a path to the closest one, Mal hovering a few steps behind him, watching.</p>
<p>Lucky for him the man decided to start talking before Chad demanded a response, babbling out a stream of pained nonsense. “We thought it was abandoned!” the man cried, clutching at his ankle. “Everyone knows that Stromboli snatched Cruella’s brat this morning – figured since no one was here you didn’t ‘ave any interest in it!”</p>
<p>“You thought wrong,” Chad replied simply, and then before he could lose his nerve, he cut off the man’s head in one swift movement.</p>
<p>Mal whistled as the blood began to spill, Chad busying himself with resetting and re-camouflaging the trap. “<em>Nice</em>.  Though it’s kind of sad that your new toy got kidnapped by <em>Stromboli</em>.  That guy is like, B-list at best.”</p>
<p>“Do you know where he lives?” Chad asked, making his way around the mansion towards the pained sounds of the second trapped victim, readying his bloody axe. “Or know someone who’d have that information?”</p>
<p>“What, the great and powerful Volker doesn’t know everything?” Mal drawled, kicking her feet as she followed behind him.</p>
<p>“Like you said, he’s B-list,” Chad deflected. “And time is of the essence here, Mal.  If you’re not going to help, <em>leave</em>.” Chad could always ask Gil, or find some street rat that was willing to make a quick buck.  It wouldn’t be hard.</p>
<p>“Alright, <em>touchy</em>,” Mal sighed. “The guy’s beneath my paygrade, but I’ve heard where he shacks up.  You gonna chop off his head?”</p>
<p>Chad did as much to the second trapped man who’s scream abruptly ended, and then he reset the traps, deciding to leave the dead bodies for later.</p>
<p>“Yes,” he said, wiping his axe off on the dead man’s clothes. “Among other things, depending what kind of condition Carlos is in.”</p>
<p>“Oooh, <em>fun</em>,” Mal cackled. “Alright, follow me.  This will be <em>awesome</em>.”</p>
<p>By this point, Chad had learned that they had entirely different opinions on what was considered ‘awesome’, but as long as Mal was willing to help, Chad didn’t really care.  He didn’t even know who Stromboli <em>was</em>, which meant his overall threat level must not be that high. </p>
<p>But if he’d taken Carlos...</p>
<p>Well, he’d best hope that the young De Vill was safe and in one piece.</p>
<p>Because <em>he</em> wouldn’t be if Carlos wasn’t.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The area of the Isle Mal led him to was without question a seedy underbelly.  None of the buildings on the Isle were particularly great, but obviously the more structurally sound ones were reserved for the higher caliber villains.  Everyone else was left to fight over hobbles and shacks, the less fortunate residing in group spaces while those on the ‘B-list’ could manage private abodes in seriously dilapidated buildings. </p>
<p>Such was the structure Mal led Chad too, a narrow space crammed between two larger warehouses that had a moldy curtain acting as a door.  There were a few other shops scattered around the alley, though all of them seemed to empty at Chad and Mal’s approach, customers taking one look at their visage, the axes in Chad’s hands, before making a swift and tactical retreat.</p>
<p>Mal cackled at their dispersal, reveling in their fear, while Chad tried to get an idea of what they were going into.  On the way over, Mal had told him that Stromboli had no known associates, and that he wasn’t clever enough to arrange this as a trap.  Granted, he was dumb enough to get <em>used</em> to arrange this as a trap, but there weren’t a lot of major villains left who would bother with the effort. </p>
<p>Chad was considering climbing up to the rooftop to enter from there when Mal made the decision for him, pushing her was through the curtain with a roll of her eyes.</p>
<p>Immediately, Chad followed and was greeted with what might be the most depressing lounge area of all time.  There was a large man puttering around what could be a makeshift kitchen, who was either very dumb or drastically uninformed because he smiled the moment he caught sight of Mal and Chad.</p>
<p>“Greetings!  You must be here for my new show!” he cheered, strolling into the lounge area like a true salesman. “It’s an interactive experience, well worth your coin.”</p>
<p>“Can I get a preview?” Chad asked, feeling his grip tighten on his axe handle. </p>
<p>So the man was ignorant but an opportunist, and something about his ‘new show’ had to do with Carlos, no doubt.</p>
<p>A sleezy grin overtook Stromboli’s face. “Of course, of course!  Right this way.”</p>
<p>He motioned them into a back area that he’d obviously converted into a bedroom, though that was all Chad was able to process before he realized that it was Carlos tied to the bed, the slight teen gagged and stripped out of his usual clothes, his thin frame covered with what seemed to be a hodgepodge of ladies’ lingerie that had definitely seen better days.  His arms were tied up over his head and his legs were spread wide, ankles attached to the bottom bedposts. </p>
<p>“Beautiful thing, isn’t he?” Stromboli drawled. “Poor child just lost his mother too, so Stromboli decided to take him in.  Now, the ropes can be adjusted of course - I’m told he’s quite flexible-”</p>
<p>Chad wasn’t entirely sure how that sentence was supposed to end, mostly because he was too busy taking Stromboli’s head off to pay it much mind. </p>
<p>Mal flinched away from the blood splatter, but Chad strolled past the large corpse as it fell to the ground, putting away his axe in favor of his knife so he could start cutting Carlos loose.</p>
<p>“Holy, <em>fuck</em> man,” Mal hissed, wiping blood off her coat. “You could have at least taken him outside.”</p>
<p>“No, I really could not have,” Chad shot back. “Mal, get to the front room and see if there’s anything of value, then take down the front curtain - we’ll need it to sell what remains of his body to the shop down the street.”</p>
<p>“What if they don’t want it?” Mal asked, frowning as Chad sawed through the rope at Carlos’ ankles.</p>
<p>He gave her a severe look. “They’ll <em>want</em> it.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” She held her hands up. “<em>Geez</em>, I’ll get going.”</p>
<p>Chad waited for her to get out of the room before he cut off Carlos’ gag, making short work of the ropes digging into his arms.  When the smaller teen was finally free, Chad pulled a blanket over him, massaging his wrists carefully to get some of the blood circulation back into them.</p>
<p>“Did he touch you?” Chad asked, noticing that the teen had been shaved in addition to cleaned and stripped. “Aside from getting you ready for his ‘show’.”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Carlos spat, refusing to look at him. “No, he wanted to um- sell my virginity to a ‘big spender’.”</p>
<p>“And he hadn’t found one yet?”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>Chad let his shoulders relax when he got that confirmation, relieved that the kid – <em>his employee</em> – was okay.</p>
<p>“Did he sell your clothes?” Chad asked, switching to Carlos’ other wrist.</p>
<p>Seeming at a loss, Carlos allowed him to continue his administrations. “...no, they’re in that dresser over there.  He was um- going to do that later.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry about this.” Chad dug through the rickety dresser until he found what he was looking for. “Did he jump you this morning?”</p>
<p>“...yeah.” Carlos huddled under his blanket, a dark flush dusting his cheeks likely at his condition, the lacy bralet looking remarkably suited to his frame. “Just as I was leaving Hell Hall.”</p>
<p>“Until we get more muscle, would you mind staying at the Lodge?” Chad passed the clothes back over, moving towards Stromboli’s corpse once they were safe in Carlos’ hands. “I don’t want a repeat of this incident.”</p>
<p>Chad hadn’t accounted for stupidity or simple uniformed idiocy when he started building his reputation.  The threat of what he <em>could</em> do was supposed to save Carlos from harm, but how useful could that be if he didn’t have enough of a presence on the Isle to enforce it for morons like Stromboli?     </p>
<p>“You... you still want me?”</p>
<p>The question was hesitant, and based on Carlos’ expression, not one he’d meant to voice.</p>
<p>Still, Chad answered just the same. “A deal’s a deal, Carlos.  You’re mine now, and while this shouldn’t have happened in the first place, I’m not going to cut you loose because of it.” He turned his attention back to Stromboli’s body. “I’m gonna take him out into the living room to deal with him.  Come out when you’re ready.  We can go back to Hell Hall and get whatever tools you need.”</p>
<p>“...okay,” Carlos replied quietly, like he dared not raise his voice. </p>
<p>Chad decided to give him some space, and got to work dragging Stromboli’s hefty corpse out into the lounge area where Mal was waiting with a small accumulation of tools that might be useful to trade.  In addition to the curtain, she’d managed to locate a tarp. </p>
<p>“Okay,” Chad said, hefting his axe onto his shoulder. “I’m chopping him to pieces now.  If anyone asks, I cut off his head last, okay?”</p>
<p>“Fine by me.” Mal grinned. “If you hadn’t gotten so fired up, we could have sent a <em>real </em>message with him.”</p>
<p>“He tied up my stuff,” Chad growled. “I wasn’t going to waste more time on him than I had to.  Now-” He let his axe fall in a neat arc before chopping off the right arm. “-what we’re <em>not</em> spiking to the gates of Hell Hall is going to be sold.  That’ll be the torso and pelvis, minus his genitals.”  </p>
<p>“Oh yes,” Mal cheered. “I cannot fucking wait to tell people how he bawled and wailed while you cut his dick off.  That’s <em>lovely</em>.”</p>
<p>“Just make sure it gets around,” Chad ordered, and with that, they got to work.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The sun was just beginning to dip over the horizon by the time the three of them trooped back to the Lodge, where LeFou was making them a meal of omelets mixed with the vegetables Chad had gotten them (a new Mal and Gil favorite, though Mal ignored the fact that Gil shared her opinion). </p>
<p>“Hey!” Gil chirped as they trudged into the room. “Heard you killed some more dudes.”</p>
<p>“Just what was necessary,” Chad said with a shrug, re-trapping the door behind them.  He hefted Carlos’ bag higher onto his shoulder. “Hey, Carlos is going to be staying here for a while.”</p>
<p>“Awesome.” Gil pumped his fist. “It’ll be like a permanent sleepover.”</p>
<p>“Or like a Lodge that holds slightly more people,” Mal countered, slowly drawing herself near the ‘breakfast bar’ to watch LeFou cook.</p>
<p>“Also <em>that</em>.” Gil grinned.</p>
<p>Chad let them have their moment – he was pretty sure Gil was growing on Mal, but it was hard to tell with her.  He caught Carlos’ eye, nodding towards the staircase so they could get the teen settled into his own room.</p>
<p>“We can go back for more of your gear tomorrow,” Chad said, setting the bag down with dedicated care. “We’ll take as many trips as you need.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Carlos hadn’t been very talkative since his rescue, though that was likely to be expected, since he’d undergone a serious ordeal.</p>
<p>Chad hesitated at the door, allowing Carlos to get used to his new space. “...I am sorry about what happened today, Carlos.  If anyone else ever tries that – if they ever touch you without your permission – just know that will be a mistake they won’t be making twice.”</p>
<p>Carlos stared at him as though he were an incomprehensible thing, and hell, maybe Chad was.</p>
<p>“...thank you, Volker,” he whispered eventually. “I um- I promise I’ll make you proud.”   </p>
<p>Chad wanted to say that he already did, but knew that wasn’t a line he could cross so soon.  Instead, he settled for slowly nodding, letting Carlos know that dinner would be ready soon before giving him his space, a chance to reclaim a part of himself in his own privacy.</p>
<p>It wasn’t his greatest day on the Isle, but hopefully the denizens of the prison would take a hint from all this. </p>
<p>That Chad hadn’t come here to play.  He was here to <em>win.  </em></p>
<p>By any means necessary.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey, guys!  Sorry for the delayed upload, things were hectic today ^_^  </p>
<p>As always, thank you so much for the onslaught of support and enthusiasm!!!  I didn’t realize dark Chad would resonate so well with you guys, which is definitely a relief since this is one of my longer stories.  Thank you for much for the feedback!! It is greatly appreciated :D</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>Stromboli is the entertainer from Pinocchio that organized the whole ‘There are no Strings on Me’ performance.  I figured he was minor enough that no one would mind his loss.</p>
<p>It’s an offhand lyric, but Harry does say ‘Come on Fish Bait, throw ‘em on a hook’ in ‘What’s My Name’, and I couldn’t help but think that was maybe a nickname he had for Gil that might have spread around the Isle, hence Mal’s usage of it.</p>
<p>Or in the words of Shea Couleé – I didn’t come here to play; I came to slay.  In this instance, that is literal. </p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Fresh Recruits</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The gaggle of children Mal presented him with were small and dirty, clothes threadbare and close to falling apart.  All of them looked half-starved and like they’d never seen a kind smile, and it took a lot of effort for Chad not to bundle the lot of them in his arms right then and there and assure them that everything would be okay. </p>
<p>Everything <em>would</em> be okay, but he had to be practical about it.  In time, they’d learn to give each other the emotional support they needed.  Hopefully.</p>
<p>Chad focused on what he <em>could</em> do. “I assume Mal has informed you of the terms of your employment?” he asked, getting a handful of averted gazes intermixed with timid nods. “Great.  First we’re going to get you clean.  You’re representing us, now, and that means you have to look the part.”</p>
<p>He guided them towards the bathrooms that had been set aside for Maleficent’s goons, now shining from the quick overhaul he and Gil had given them.  He had Mal watch the girls while he chaperoned the boys, showing them how to use the showers (a lot of them had never had access to running water before, and it made Chad want to punch someone) until he could finally see the skin beneath the dirt and grime.  He passed out the clothes he had stolen over the past week in anticipation of Mal’s recruitment drive, frowning at the symbols painted on their sleeves.  They’d need to get something more permanent in the future, maybe figure out if anyone could embroider. </p>
<p>His group finished up before the girls (likely because there was more of them) so he led them back to the dining hall, where Chef Louis was waiting with a big cauldron of chicken and vegetable soup.  One of the accommodations they had made in preparation for the new recruits was to enlist the aid of a full-time Chef.  LeFou could cook for the people they had staying at the Lodge, but expecting him to maintain that facility as well as keep a gaggle of children adequately fed morning, noon, and night was grossly unfair.  That was what led to Mal tossing out the name of Chef Louis, an assistant at the Slop Shop who had been looking for a more stable form of employment. </p>
<p>Apparently, he was the son of Chef Louie, the former head chef at Westerly Castle.  Chef Louie had suffered some kind of psychotic break that had led to him <em>almost</em> poisoning the king and queen, and instead of receiving the psychiatric care he deserved, he had been shipped off to the Isle of the Lost, where he’d fallen in love with a poor woman who’d fallen behind on her debt payments before he was mugged and murdered. </p>
<p>His son had followed in his footsteps in an effort to gain some form of credibility (it was really the only thing the younger generation could do on the Isle) and like most other Isle residents, was struggling to support himself and his mother.  He’d agreed to sign on with Mal and Chad under the condition that his mother be protected as well, which seemed fair enough.  Mal and Chad cleaned out a small set of rooms for them to use as a ‘family suite’ that the two of them were eager to move into, both of them quick to claim the kitchens as their territory and get to work.  </p>
<p>Today’s lunch would be the first test of their skill, but Chad was optimistic, having thoroughly searched and cleared their bags for potential poisons.</p>
<p>“Slowly,” Chad had to order more than once, trying to keep the kids from wolfing it down and making themselves sick. “You’re not going to starve here, so savor it.”</p>
<p>He was pretty sure it was only the hand on his axe that got them anywhere close to listening, but they <em>did</em> listen, which kept them from eating more than they could manage.  He noticed a few of them were already close to nodding off – clean, full, and warm for likely the first time in ages – so he rounded them up and took them to the renovated dormitory area, assigning each of them a bed. </p>
<p>“Go ahead and rest,” he told them. “We’ll have breakfast at first light; that’s where we’ll give you your orders.” He waited for a few more nods before bidding them goodnight, feeling another flash of anger at the way they stared at him in confusion.</p>
<p>By the time he got back to the mess hall, the girls were eating at a slow enough pace that Mal must have warned them into accepting, looking substantially better in their new clothes. </p>
<p>“I showed the boys to their room,” Chad said when he sidled up beside her. “Any trouble on your part?”</p>
<p>“Nope.” As though Mal would allow for it. “They’re fine.  Few of them don’t know what to do with their hair, though.  Think we should cut it?”</p>
<p>“If they want,” Chad said, noticing the way one of the long-haired girls nearest to them seemed to tense over her bowl. “We could always teach them to braid it.”</p>
<p>“<em>‘</em>We’?” Mal asked.  “Who’s this <em>‘we’</em>?”</p>
<p>This was how Chad came to show a small gaggle of children how to braid each other’s hair, ordering them to practice once a day until they got better.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Mal laughed as they settled the girls in their quarters. “That was not how I expected that to go.”</p>
<p>“Not gonna make you do something I wouldn’t do myself,” Chad muttered.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Mal drawled. “I’m beginning to get that.”    </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“We need a seamstress,” Chad decided at one of their informal planning meetings.  They needed armbands – something to mark their recruits as <em>their’s</em> without infringing too much upon their personal style. “Do you guys know any?”</p>
<p>“Harry can fix stuff,” Gil offered slowly. “But like, it’s <em>Harry</em>, so…”</p>
<p>“Someone else?” Chad asked.</p>
<p>Carlos lifted a shy hand. “I know someone.  Don’t think she’ll join you, though.”</p>
<p>“Would she take contract work?” Chad really didn’t <em>have</em> to claim everyone in his path, despite what Mal seemed to believe. “We have money.”</p>
<p>Carlos blinked.  Apparently he had not considered this a viable alternative. “I’ll mention it to her.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Apparently Carlos’ ‘someone’ found the prospect of contract work agreeable, because the next step had been for Carlos to bring his person to Hell Hall for a business meeting – deciding that the territory (while markedly <em>Chad’s</em>) was close to neutral ground.</p>
<p>“Volker,” Carlos greeted with a nod, a pretty teenager with blue hair posed on the couch next to him. “This is the seamstress I was talking to you about.”</p>
<p>“Evie,” the girl introduced herself, fluttering her lashes in a coy tease that had likely won over many a fool. “Daughter of the Evil Queen.”</p>
<p>Holy shit, Queen Grimhilde had a daughter.  That changed things, at least for Hanover.</p>
<p>“Your highness,” Chad bowed on reflex, too many years of training drilled into his head to do otherwise, and rose to see Evie’s delighted smile. “I was hoping we could come to a business arrangement.  I’d like to commission some armbands for our new recruits.  Do you do embroidery work?”</p>
<p>“When I can get the supplies,” Evie allowed, staring at him in interest.</p>
<p>“We’d supply everything you needed,” Chad assured. “Along with payment for services rendered.  We just need your expertise.”</p>
<p>“That’s… a generous offer,” Evie said carefully, likely trained in etiquette from the day she was born, though no less suspicious for it.</p>
<p>“I’m vicious, your highness,” Chad offered without apology. “But I try to be fair, when I can.”</p>
<p>“Like you were to Don Carnage’s crew?” Evie prompted, her perfectly manicured brows raised in a challenge.</p>
<p>“They took something that was mine.” Or more accurately, something that <em>belonged</em> to something that was his.  It was close enough. “That’s part of the reason we’d like the armbands.  So we can clear up any future misunderstandings.”</p>
<p>And avoid any needless slaughter.</p>
<p>She seemed to read between the lines easily enough. “I’m not negotiating on price.”</p>
<p>“As long as your work’s good, I don’t really care what you charge.” She already knew what would happen if he was upset. “Additionally, I’d like to offer my protection for the duration of our business relationship.”</p>
<p>“You’re no good to him wounded,” Carlos murmured when she seemed about to protest.</p>
<p>“I like making deals that are mutually beneficial,” Chad explained. “Since we’re all stuck in the same hellhole.”</p>
<p>Neither of them disagreed.</p>
<p>Eventually, Evie nodded. “In that case, I’ll gladly accept your proposition.”</p>
<p>“Give me a list of supplies, and I’ll work on collection,” Chad said, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. “These are the designs we need embroidered…”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“So you got the princess to help us?” Mal asked, helping Chad set up their collection center for the recruits’ daily finds.  Moldy food would go in one set of barrels, rotten wood in another.</p>
<p>“Know her?” Chad asked, jerry rigging a few step stools together out of old crates so the shorter recruits could dump their loads without having to ask for help.</p>
<p>“My mom banished her and the Evil Queen to their castle when we were six,” Mal sniffed. “She didn’t invite me to her birthday, or something.”</p>
<p>“Well, your mom is dead.” Chad said this because it never failed to put Mal in a good mood. “And now we have a seamstress on retainer.  Win-win.”</p>
<p>“Carlos said you<em> bowed</em> for her.” Mal smirked, though Chad was more focused on the part where Carlos and Mal were apparently becoming friends. “Do you think she’s pretty?”</p>
<p>“Objectively, sure.”</p>
<p>“You’re so cool,” Mal muttered, unimpressed. “I bet you don’t even want to fuck her.”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to fuck most people, Mal.” Chad found that answer easier than the truth of it, of trauma long buried and dead.</p>
<p>“Of course you don’t,” Mal scoffed.  He couldn’t tell if she was disappointed or not. “That’s probably why you’re so level-headed.”</p>
<p>“It’s kept me alive this long,” Chad said with a shrug.</p>
<p>Mal couldn’t really disagree.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“So…” Mal began later that night, when they were establishing a ‘business wing’ of the castle that would house their offices, as well as a lab for Carlos. “…you <em>never</em> want to have sex?”</p>
<p>“…I have no desire to be sexually gratified,” Chad settled on, because it was close to the truth and Mal had earned that much. “But I don’t mind giving out that same gratification.”</p>
<p>He offered this last part in a bid to make him seem more normal, and that was what Mal had latched onto. “So… you’re fine with giving, but not receiving?”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Chad shrugged.  If he ever found someone he was comfortable enough to… engage in those sort of activities with, then he could probably satisfy them.  By force of will, if necessary.  He refused to allow his past trauma to steal <em>that</em> from him too.</p>
<p>Briefly, he thought of Jane’s coy smile, distant and unattainable, and then he thought of Ben’s goofy grin, the prince committed to Audrey before he was ever given a chance to think for himself.</p>
<p>He thought of Doug, a constant friend as little as Chad could act on that, of a gaze that was always fixed away whenever Chad tried to catch his eye.</p>
<p>“Huh,” Mal breathed, seeming to think this over before latching onto Chad’s wrist and dragging him towards the couch. </p>
<p>Because this would be a roundabout way to injure him, Chad allowed it, not really understanding what was going on even when Mal slid into his lap, reclining against his chest.</p>
<p>“…what are we doing?” Chad asked out of curiosity.</p>
<p>He could <em>feel</em> Mal roll her eyes. “You’re going to stick your hand down my pants,” she explained.</p>
<p><em>Oh</em>. Um. “…I haven’t experimented with such things before.”</p>
<p>“Neither have I, <em>dipshit</em>,” Mal drawled, undoing her pants with a confidence Chad was beginning to realize was feigned. “I’ll let you know if you’re doing anything wrong, now just-”</p>
<p>She motioned to her crotch.</p>
<p>And.  Well.</p>
<p>Chad’s first time had already been pretty abysmal, experimenting here with someone he sort of liked-</p>
<p>It seemed better.  And she wasn’t expecting the <em>moon</em> or anything.</p>
<p>So Chad took off his gloves and slid a hand into her panties, whereupon they sort of fumbled through it together.</p>
<p>Mal seemed happy by the end of it, at least, and Chad got the contentment of doing <em>that</em> for her.  Something more than providing food and shelter and protection.  Something a real partner would do.</p>
<p>He liked it.  Maybe that made him truly <em>wicked</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Well?” Evie asked as Chad inspected the first set of armbands. “Are they to your liking?”</p>
<p>“They’re perfect,” Chad said, handing over her bag of payment. “Thank you, your highness.”</p>
<p>She must have been expecting some kind of fight because she was hesitant to accept the pouch, likely anticipating Chad to stiff her, or renegotiate.</p>
<p>“You can count it, if you want,” Chad said, going through the rest of the armbands.  So far they were all accounted for, and exactly what he needed.</p>
<p>“I <em>will</em>,” she said, almost like a challenge.  Her posture was perfect as she dumped the bag onto the conference table, dividing the coins into small groups for easy counting. </p>
<p>He waited for her to confirm her payment before sliding the armbands into his satchel, offering her a small bow. “Pleasure doing business with you, your highness.”</p>
<p>She just sort of blinked at him, though she recovered quickly. “Pleasure’s all mine, Volker.”</p>
<p>He tilted his head towards the door so he could escort her out, taking them back towards the central area of Bargain Castle.  It just so happened that he caught the recruits just before they set out on their last expedition before they lost daylight.</p>
<p>“Excuse me, princess, I just need a moment,” he said, bowing again before making his way to the recruits. “Gather round, everybody!”</p>
<p>“Volker!” Darla immediately lit up, bouncing over to his side. “Did you see the stuff we collected this morning?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I did,” Chad replied, reveling in how such a small reassurance seemed to make them smile. “And you all did excellent work.  Good job, everybody.”</p>
<p>“Hear that?” Arthur muttered, elbowing Liko in the side. “We did a <em>good job</em>.”</p>
<p>“I’ve got new uniforms for you,” Chad continued, knowing if he didn’t, they’d get lost chattering. “We commissioned Princess Evelyn to make us armbands.” He held a handful of them up. “Each of you will wear one so everyone knows that if they bother you, they will have to deal with <em>me</em>.” He distributed them amongst the excited children, making sure each had them safely secure before waving them on to do their duties. “Okay, off with you!  Dinner’s at sundown, and you’d better be back by dusk!”</p>
<p>“Yes, Volker,” the kids cheered back to him, separating off with their assigned buddies before heading out onto the Isle.</p>
<p>“<em>T</em><em>hose</em> are your recruits?” Evie said, footsteps so quiet Chad had almost forgotten she was there. “You’re using children to scavenge for you?”</p>
<p>Her tone indicated that she found the idea repulsive, likely thinking Chad was taking advantage of them. “I’m using children to scavenge for things no one wants,” he explained. “Things that hold no value to anyone, which should keep them out of trouble.  I try to lead responsibly.” He continued to escort her from the premises. “Each of them has an assigned partner, and we trained all of them in basic disengagement tactics before we let them go out.  All of them had to learn how to escape someone who was bigger than them.”</p>
<p>“You have them run away?” she asked, less judgmental and more interested, perhaps.</p>
<p>“And memorize their attacker’s faces, if they can,” Chad replied with a shrug. “I’ve only had to kill five people so far.  That’s better than expected.”</p>
<p>There was a lull in the conversation where Evie seemed to struggle with how to move on. “…I heard you have a healer.”</p>
<p>“We do,” Chad confirmed. “Free healthcare is part of the benefits package for anyone who joins up.  So even if they <em>do</em> get hurt, we’ll take care of them.”</p>
<p>“That’s awfully nice of you,” she said quietly.</p>
<p>“It’s practical,” he countered. “The best soldiers are loyal ones, and if you want loyalty, you’ve got to give it.”</p>
<p>“Basic leadership,” she surmised.</p>
<p>“We’re all struggling to survive the same place, your highness,” Chad said simply. “Could we survive on our own?  Yes.  But it’s easier with a group.”</p>
<p>“And were those kids surviving before you recruited them?” Evie asked, her voice deceptively light.</p>
<p>“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” Chad shrugged. “They belong to Mal and I, and we take care of what’s ours.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have believed that from Mal,” Evie offered, careless with what could be perceived as a slight. “But from you, I think that might be true.”</p>
<p>“It is true.” But Chad understood why she wouldn’t believe it. “Would you be open to future contract work from us?  We’ll likely need more armbands.” He frowned in consideration. “Maybe we’ll commission some new clothes from you, since it’s going to get cold soon.  We can negotiate new terms once we’ve finalized an order.”</p>
<p>Evie made a show of considering his offer, though he already knew her response. “Yes, I think that’s agreeable.”</p>
<p>“Excellent,” Chad said, dropping her off at the front gate. </p>
<p>It looked like they were in business.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“I thought when you wanted to commission clothes from me, they’d be for you and Mal,” Evie said off-handedly, jotting down another set of measurements as they released Liko from the stool she’d been patiently standing on.</p>
<p>“What?” Chad blinked up from what he was doing, trying to finalize his tallies for green house creation. “No, Mal and I are fine.  The kids need warmer stuff, though.” He flipped through his next page of notes.  Looked like he still needed some lumber, and Carlos needed some better materials from the barges. “LeFou could use some stuff, though.  Do you think you could make him something easy to work in that gives the impression of <em>‘medical professional</em>’?</p>
<p>“Never thought I’d hear those words strung together,” Evie replied honestly. “But I’ll see what I can do.”</p>
<p>“Appreciate it,” Chad said, watching the next kid skitter inside. </p>
<p>It was sort of nice, watching Evie work.  Cozy, even.</p>
<p>Chad wondered if this was what it was like to have friends.  He figured it might be.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Alright, everybody, gather round!” Chad interrupted the usual Saturday breakfast chaos with as much of a flourish as Volker allowed, quickly gaining the attention of all his little underlings.  They scattered from the tables to group up in front of them, not one of them hesitating because they were worrying about their food getting stolen, because they knew that they would <em>all</em> get food here.</p>
<p>“Good news,” Chad explained, digging through his satchel. “Had a bit of economic swell here and, long story short-” He started passing out small pouches. “We all have a bit of extra spending money.”</p>
<p>“Money?” Darla echoed, face lighting up when she realized Chad was in fact telling the truth. “We get <em>money</em> too?”</p>
<p>“Think of it as a bonus,” Chad said, handing out the last of the pouches. “Go forth, do what you want with it.  If anyone tries to rip you off at the markets, show ‘em your armband.” For a moment, they all just sort of stared at him. “What are you waiting for?  Breakfast is getting cold.  <em>Go</em>.” </p>
<p>Like that, they all scrambled back to their seats, chattering excitedly with each other over what they were going to use their money on.</p>
<p>Mal sidled up to him with an unimpressed look. “Really, Volker?  You’re giving them an allowance?”</p>
<p>“If anything, it’s a payment well earned,” Chad dismissed, handing her a pouch as well. “They deserve something that’s <em>theirs</em>.  Not ours, or mine, but theirs alone.  With this, they can get a little something.”</p>
<p>“Huh.” Mal quirked a brow at him. “Awfully <em>nice</em> of you.”</p>
<p>“I’m just thinking long-term, Mal.” Chad rolled his eyes. “Happy workers work twice as hard.  This is an easy thing to keep them content.”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Mal said, as though she wasn’t already smiling.  “Whatever.  Thanks, <em>dad</em>.”</p>
<p>Chad wasn’t sure if he should take that as a compliment or not, seeing as most of the parents on the Isle were horrible.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“What about school?” Darla asked him one day when Chad was handing out everyone’s assignments.</p>
<p>“What <em>about</em> school?” Chad echoed back as a probing question, checking the other kids’ responses to verify the legitimacy of Darla’s query since she might just be testing him again.</p>
<p>“Are we gonna go back to it?” Darla pressed, and all the other children looked eager for Chad’s response, meaning there actually <em>was</em> a school or Darla had gotten better at organizing her attempts to assess the reach of Chad’s authority.</p>
<p>Instead of answering, Chad continued down his road of inquiry. “And what, exactly, do you learn at this school?”</p>
<p>It was Arthur that spoke up, “You know, how to be a better villain.”</p>
<p>“Thievery,” another kid spoke up. “Plotting and stuff like that.”</p>
<p>Which just… sounded like the greatest waste of time combined with Auradon’s greatest nightmare all in one.  It was actually sort of impressive.</p>
<p>“You let me worry about school,” Chad decided, already forming plans in his mind. “For now, continue as you were.”</p>
<p>He mostly ignored the cheerful choruses of ‘<em>okay</em>’ in order to seek out Mal, who was more or less his go-to individual for Isle information.</p>
<p>“You mean Dragon Hall?” she asked when he cornered her in the library. “Or Serpent Prep?”</p>
<p>“There are <em>two</em> schools to raise a new generation of villains?” Chad asked, part incredulous and partly in awe, because the banished villains had made the most of the free time they were given which was… something.</p>
<p>“And the witch school,” Mal said with a wave of her hand. “Why do you care?”</p>
<p>“Because it’s stupid,” Chad said. “If the kids want to go to school, they may as well learn something useful.”</p>
<p>“What are you suggesting?” Mal pressed. “That we start up a school of our own?”</p>
<p>Now <em>there</em> was a thought.</p>
<p>“Or not,” Mal rushed to say when the lightbulb moment must have read in his eyes. “Definitely not.  Don’t make us nerds, Volker.”</p>
<p>“We’re going to be much better than that, Mal.” Chad grinned, even though she couldn’t see it. “We’re going to be practical.  <em>Efficient</em>.”</p>
<p>“That sounds like a lot of work,” Mal groaned.</p>
<p>And it would be- <em>but</em>.</p>
<p>It would also be far more useful than anything the kids would learn elsewhere, and <em>that</em> was what mattered.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad and Mal had been going over the rough outline they had for the school when Evie followed Carlos into the Lodge for dinner that night, though a quick inspection showing bruises on her forearms indicated her motivation easily enough.</p>
<p>Out of courtesy, Chad allowed her to approach him with the problem. “About your protection services…” she began carefully.</p>
<p>“Who and where?” Chad asked, letting his hand trace the head of his axe.</p>
<p>And that, was that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad waited in the shadows outside Castle-Across-the-Way the next morning, greeting Evie with a bow before walking her to school.  From what he’d been able to understand, a lot of kids went to school in an effort to avoid their parents, or to be guaranteed shelter for at least a fraction of the day, and on the rare occasion, because they actually wanted to <em>learn</em>.  And with classes like ‘<em>Evil Schemes and Nasty Plots’</em>, ‘<em>Enrichment</em>’, and ‘<em>P.E.</em>’ (though that one had been canceled since Chad had murdered Gaston, who had apparently been the teacher), Chad couldn’t really blame them.  On the Isle acquiring knowledge was a privilege when survival was the first and foremost need on everyone’s mind.  The only kids who had the luxury to take the classes anywhere close to seriously were the major villain kids.  Despite that, Mal didn’t bother with the school now that her mother was dead, and it didn’t seem like Gil or the pirates did either. </p>
<p>Why Evie went, Chad did not know, though he suspected it had something to do with her ten-year banishment ending compounded with a desperate need to socialize, which was fair enough. </p>
<p>There was a definite stir of interest when Chad entered the schoolyard with Evie, one hand resting on his axe.  Neither of them paid the stares any mind, Evie’s head held high and proud, one dainty hand curled around her purse strap.  They got to her locker with no difficulty, Chad acting as sentry while Evie got out her appropriate textbooks.</p>
<p>It was then that the teen matching Evie’s description slunk into the hallway, watching the two of them with narrowed eyes before approaching with an obnoxious swagger.</p>
<p>“This him?” Chad asked, taking in the full picture that was Harry Badun – son of Horace – with two lackies behind him.  One of which Chad assumed was Jace Badun – son of Jasper – and some random fuck. </p>
<p>Evie nodded. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>“What’s this now?” Harry asked, blustering to a halt in front of them. “Princess ‘as gone and got the bloke that killed me dad-”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t bother letting him finish the sentence.  He lunged forward, grabbing the dominant hand that Evie had already told him about before shoving Harry to the ground, wrenching his arm back and striking down with a hard blow until he heard a definite <em>crack</em>.</p>
<p>“What the hell?” Jace sputtered, launching to his – cousin’s? Chad didn’t actually know – defense. “You can’t just-”</p>
<p>Chad broke his arm too, left the two of them moaning on the ground before turning his attention to the third guy.</p>
<p>Random fuck wisely held his hands up in surrender, backing away in slow, definite steps. </p>
<p>Chad let him have his retreat, turning his attention to Harry’s crumpled form.</p>
<p>“This is your first strike,” Chad informed the two, acutely aware of the interest they had stirred. “On your second strike I’m taking a limb, and you can watch as I spike it up next to the heads I use to decorate my fence.” He gripped the back of Harry’s skull, tilting his head back until it had to be painful. “Do you understand?”</p>
<p>“You’re <em>crazy-</em>” he spat.</p>
<p>Chad took that opportunity to smash his face into the ground, pulling back so he could talk to Harry’s dazed expression. “Do you <em>understand</em>?”</p>
<p>“Why?” Jace asked, clutching at his arm. “Why her?”</p>
<p>“Princess Evelyn is my associate,” Chad explained. “<em>That’s</em> why.” </p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Harry grumbled, trembling in Chad’s grip. “Okay- <em>yes</em>, I understand.”</p>
<p>“We have this conversation again, I’m using my axe,” Chad warned one last time.  With that, he let the misguided mess go and turned his attention back to Evie, who had finished collecting her books. “Shall I escort you to your first class, your highness?”</p>
<p>“I’d like that.” She said it as though it were her due, and honestly, it was.  It was nice to see her own it, own the position she had been given, and Chad was happy to cater to it, offering the princess his arm as they walked through the halls, leaving Harry and Jace Badun behind them.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad parted ways with Evie after her first class, confirming he would see her later that night before he set off to attend to his growing list of regular duties.  He’d made it to the gates of the school before he heard a voice call out behind him.</p>
<p>“Wait!” He turned to see a girl about Evie’s age approach him, her long black hair tousled by the wind.  She was panting by the time she drew up next to him, but she didn’t let that stop her from trying to speak. “You’re um- Volker, right?”</p>
<p>“Yep.” He kept a hand on his axe just in case, making a careful inspection of their surroundings.  This wouldn’t be a bad place to set an ambush.</p>
<p>“I’m Hermie,” she explained. “Hermie Bing.  I…” She was afraid, he realized, had likely already seen what he’d done to Harry and Jace in the hall, or passed by his work at Hell Hall or Bargain Castle. “I want to join your crew.”</p>
<p>That was… <em>not</em> what Chad had been expecting.</p>
<p>“I can be useful,” she rushed to say. “I know how to sew stuff too, and I’m a fast learner-”</p>
<p>She was thin, and much like Mal’s other recruits she seemed a bit worse for the wear.  Her clothes reeked of alcohol, though she showed no signs of imbibing herself, making it likely that someone she lived with preferred to overindulge. </p>
<p>Like Evie, she had bruises mottling her forearms. </p>
<p>Unlike Evie, she did not have a protector to handle the problem. </p>
<p>Chad considered his options.</p>
<p>“How do you like kids?” he asked, likely interrupting some part of her spiel.</p>
<p>She blinked at him. “They’re… kids?”</p>
<p>“I need someone to organize my new recruits for me.” Free him and Mal from having to do it themselves. “A manager of sorts, if you will.  Make sure they have their needs seen to while completing their work.” Yes, that would do nicely. “You’d receive the same benefits as everyone else, of course.  Food, shelter, clothes, and protection.”</p>
<p>“I want in,” Hermie said, likely trying not to seem as desperate as she was. “I can be your manager.  I can do it.”</p>
<p>“We do have rules,” Chad explained. “And punishments for those who violate them.”</p>
<p>“I’ve heard.” Her shoulders trembled slightly. “That’s- I can live with that.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Chad dug through his satchel, offering her one of Evie’s extra armbands. “Come to Bargain Castle after school.  Use the <em>front door</em> only.” No point in poisoning someone before they could get their work done. “We’ll brief you on what you need to know then.”</p>
<p>“T-Thank you,” she murmured, cradling the armband to her chest. “Thank you, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” Chad said, and then, because that was usually ignored- “To <em>anyone</em>.”</p>
<p>If someone was desperate enough, they’d find him.  Those were the people he wanted. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Mal!” he called when he made his way back to Bargain Castle. “Do you know Hermie Bing?!”</p>
<p>Mal poked her head out from one of the upper landings. “The Ringmaster’s daughter?  Yeah, she’s like, a nobody.  Gets pushed around by <em>everyone</em>.”</p>
<p>“She’s going to manage our new recruits,” Chad explained as he made his way up the stairs. “Thought you’d like to hash out our expectations for her before she swings by after school.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ugh</em>.” Mal made a show of groaning. “You let <em>Hermie</em> join?  Who’s going to take us seriously?”</p>
<p>“I also broke Harry and Jace’s arms, so I don’t think we’re going to have to worry much about our reputation,” Chad explained, getting a slight look of approval. “Though we’re going to need to start thinking about recruiting muscle soon.  I can’t be the only one protecting our people.”</p>
<p>“Let me think on that,” Mal said, eyes narrowing. “And tell me about how you broke those arms.”</p>
<p>“And <em>then</em> we’ll hash out Hermie’s duties?” Chad pressed. “And finish the school outlines?”</p>
<p>“Fine- <em>fine</em>,” Mal sulked. “Why does leading have to be so tedious?”</p>
<p>“It’s the curse of the gifted, my dear.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to everyone for all the lovely feedback!!!  It always makes my day to hear from you, so thank you for taking the time to reach out :)</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>Because I can find no recorded name for Eric and Ariel’s kingdom, it is now dubbed ‘Westerly’ based on one of the Auradon fan maps I’ve been using as a rough reference guide.</p>
<p>Hanover is my name for Snow White’s kingdom, because I refuse to call it Charmington.  </p>
<p>Hermie Bing is one of the official listed VKs.  I assume she was in the books, but I don’t know anything about her to be honest.  The ringmaster is from Dumbo, if that helps :)</p>
<p>I figure it is not that big a stretch to imagine Chef Louie having a mental breakdown, considering his behavior in The Little Mermaid.  </p>
<p>Until next time ^_^</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Rescuing Royalty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chad noticed it when he was walking Evie out of the castle after another one of her deliveries, the princess looking almost longingly at the dining hall while the recruits trooped in for dinner. </p>
<p>There was value in keeping talented people close to you, and for an Isle kid, Evie seemed to lean more towards the side of kindness than easy ruthlessness.</p>
<p>Chad made a call. “Would you like to stay for dinner, your highness?”</p>
<p>The request took Evie off-guard, but she composed herself quickly. “I’m still not looking to join, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Think of it as a bonus,” Chad said. “You do good work for us, and it would be an honor to host royalty at our table.”</p>
<p>She made a show of considering this, but he already knew from her too-slight frame that she was going to accept. “Alright.” She nodded. “It would be my pleasure.”</p>
<p>Chad motioned for Evie to follow him to the front of the line where Mal was already getting food for herself and Carlos.</p>
<p>The purple-haired teen lifted a brow. “You finally eating with us, partner?”</p>
<p>“I invited her highness to dine with us,” Chad explained.  He stood by calmly as Evie collected a bowl of stew and a hunk of bread.  Baking ingredients seemed to be another thing no one really fought over, and once Chad realized this, he had his recruits snatch them up so they could bake their own bread.  It wasn’t the best, but it was filling.</p>
<p>They followed Mal towards the small dining hall (likely used for formal dinners) to have their meal, Chad sharing small talk with the other three while they ate.  Carlos had already been waiting at the table where Mal had likely dumped him, totally absorbed by his latest schematic, so his contributions were half-distracted at best, but still filled with hidden insight. </p>
<p>“Soft spot,” Mal said after Chad had returned from escorting Carlos and Evie to their respective homes.  Carlos had returned to Hell Hall once they’d built up their recruit base, seeing as Chad was spending more time at Bargain Castle, which wasn’t that far away. “She’s not even a recruit.”</p>
<p>“Do you know any other seamstresses that aren’t assholes?” Chad prompted, knew he’d gotten his point across when she huffed in annoyance. “We can spare some food now and then, especially for royalty.”</p>
<p>“You say that,” Mal muttered. “But she’s princess of nothing here.”</p>
<p>“But if she ever gets to Auradon, that will change,” Chad said, instantly gaining Mal’s interest. “She has no formal crimes against her.  As far as they’re concerned, she still has a fair bid to the Hanover throne.” She also had a stepsister who had been fighting tooth and nail for the Isle’s reformation, who would likely be thrilled at the prospect of having a younger sister. “With that in mind, I think she’s a pretty good person to keep on our side.”</p>
<p>Mal let out another irritated huff. “Do you get tired of being right?”</p>
<p>“Rarely,” Chad drawled, mostly to inspire that delightful noise of outrage she made every once in a while. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It was a particularly unremarkable day when Mr. Smee arrived at Bargain Castle, his hands clutching onto two small boys that were almost identical recreations of him, both looking slightly lost in their oversized glasses.</p>
<p>“Mr. Volker?” Smee asked when Hermie led him towards the courtyard where Chad was taking stock of their supplies. “May I um- have a word?”</p>
<p>Based on Gil’s reports, Mr. Smee was one of the few individuals that had been kind to Harry and his sisters throughout their childhood.  While he wasn’t awarded the title of parent, he had been the one tasked with taking care of the kids and, eventually, getting them free of Captain Hook’s toxic influence.  On the confirmation that Chad would hold it in the utmost secrecy, Gil had told him that Mr. Smee was one of the few adults on the Isle Harry liked, and as a result, had Uma’s favor.  Which made this conversation a bit more worthy of Chad’s indulgence than it otherwise may have been.</p>
<p>“Of course, Mr. Smee,” Chad allowed. “I take it your sons would like to be recruited?”</p>
<p>“They’re good boys,” Mr. Smee rushed to say. “Quiet, hard working.  Won’t cause any trouble.”</p>
<p>Chad held up a hand. “As long as they agree to the terms and don’t violate any rules, they’re welcome to join.” He looked down at the two – twins; it would seem. “What are their names?”</p>
<p>“Squeaky and Squirmy, sir.”</p>
<p>Okay, looked like someone was going to be getting some nicknames soon.</p>
<p>“Do they have middle names?”</p>
<p>Mr. Smee just sort of blinked at him.</p>
<p>“We’ll give them some,” Chad decided.  He motioned to Hermie, who’d been waiting by the door. “I’ve got two more for orientation, Hermie, if you’ve got time before lunch.”</p>
<p>“I do,” she assured him. </p>
<p>She always rushed to assure him, as though he’d ever doubt her. </p>
<p>They paused for a moment, letting the three exchange their goodbyes, before Squeaky and Squirmy followed Hermie back into the castle, Mr. Smee watching them with an open sort of sorrow. </p>
<p>“They can still visit you,” Chad said. “Chip Shoppe’s neutral territory, if you want to meet there.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” This took Mr. Smee off guard, a wet sort of moisture in his eyes.  Obviously, he hadn’t expected to see his sons ever again.  Or at least get regular contact. “Thank you, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” Chad said, even though they always did. “And Mr. Smee…” He changed his tone into something serious, a purposeful detachment to illustrate the importance of what he was about to say. “Should Captain Hook ever commit an action against us that would require a swift and brutal response-”</p>
<p>“I don’t have much say over what captain does,” Mr. Smee blustered, a certain well of shame closing over him.</p>
<p>“I know.” Chad had already heard as much. “But if it happens, the moment you <em>know</em> about it, I need you to go to the Lodge and wait with Dr. Proulx.  Do you understand?”</p>
<p>It took a few moments for the implication to set in, but when it did, Mr. Smee was back to struggling for his composure. “I understand,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>It was as close to Chad saying he would spare him as he could get.  Chad didn’t hold the first mate’s position against him, knew they all had to group up in order to best assure their survival, but should Captain Hook ever act out of line-</p>
<p>Chad would have to respond, just as he had for the others.  It was simply the way of things.</p>
<p>“Then you can go,” Chad said, guiding him back through the castle.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Gil sort of skipped into the castle sometime after dinner, catching Chad as he was heading upstairs. “Is it true?” he asked, grin spread impossibly wide. “Did you get Squeaky and Squirmy?”</p>
<p>Instead of answering, Chad simply motioned towards the Great Hall where the kids had taken to playing after dinner.  Between Chad’s scavenging efforts and dumb luck, they had a collection of recreational items available for community use, and the kids would play cards or jump rope or play some of the games Gil had taught them. </p>
<p>Huddled near the edge of the mix was Squeaky and Squirmy, more or less clinging to each other as they studied the rabble.</p>
<p>Gil’s face lit up in a brilliant smile. “Hey, guys!” He swept into the room, snatching onto one of the twins before tossing him in the air and catching him, then repeating the process on the other one.  The kids, who had an immediate and justified love for Gil, cheered when they realized his presence, gathering around him and begging for him to play, to watch, to throw them too. </p>
<p>It was sort of amazing to see how the second mate honored everyone’s requests while also getting Squeaky and Squirmy to socialize, until the whole mob of them were running around the hall laughing, <em>playing</em> like children should be. </p>
<p>Movement from the corner of Chad’s eye indicated Mal’s presence looming beside him. “I suppose I see why you keep him around.”</p>
<p>“Technically, Uma keeps him around,” Chad clarified, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight. “But she shares him sometimes, so that’s nice.”</p>
<p>“<em>Nice</em>,” Mal muttered, like the very concept offended her.  She tugged on his arm. “Come and stick your hand down my pants.”</p>
<p>“Have you learned nothing from Evie?” Chad sighed, though he followed her prompting away from the hall, knowing if he stayed much longer his adoration would be completely apparent.</p>
<p>“Don’t have time for your fancy talk,” Mal chirped, wagging her eyebrows. “I’ll leave that to the professionals.”</p>
<p>“Along with the aforementioned hand-pants sticking.”</p>
<p>Mal scrunched her nose. “You somehow made it worse.”</p>
<p>“Do what I can.” Chad shrugged, grinning beneath his mask.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>By the time Chad was ready to get started on making the glass panes, his new chisel was <em>finally</em> ready.  He’d spent the last few weeks painfully whittling it from stone he had found on the outskirts of the Isle, imbuing it with some of his rune plating until it was exactly to his specifications.  This chisel was bigger and more durable – made to hold its magic for a long period of time.  Chad still had his smaller chisels for detail work, but this one would give him more power for the big scale projects he needed completed. </p>
<p>He spent a night altering Gaston’s smithy, modifying the container that would hold the melted glass with runes for enchantment.  Ultimately the goal was to create a sort of amplification loop that increased the temperature provided by the modest fire into something that could hold molten glass.  From there, Chad carved in runes for improving the frames that the glass would set in for durability, for adhesion; until he was sure they would come together in one solid piece.  The wood-lined glass panes would be transported to Bargain Castle to begin construction on the first set of greenhouses, so Chad had spent weeks working on those with his smaller chisels, though he was grateful his more substantial tool was finally in service.  It made things go a lot faster. </p>
<p>He was in the middle of contemplating if their new recruits could even <em>carry</em> the sacks of sand he was going to need to obtain when the solution to his problem waltzed through the front door of the Lodge.</p>
<p>Harry Hook seemed a lot more composed since the last time Chad saw him, posture loose as he moved in a confident swagger, eyes smeared with a dark makeup that seemed intentionally artistic rather than manic, like before.  He was cleaner too, his entire outfit seeming more put together.  </p>
<p>“Uma sent me,” Harry explained, lounging against the wall as though he owned it. “Thought I might work off a bit of my debt every once and awhile to keep things… congenial.”</p>
<p>Chad raised his brows at this, not expecting the move. “Awfully generous of her.” </p>
<p>It was fortunate that LeFou was tending to the chickens at that moment because Harry didn’t seem all that happy about this turn of events, even though he made an effort to seem calm. </p>
<p>“That’s my captain.” Harry moved away from the wall in a smooth movement, picking his way across the floor like a cat until he was in front of Chad.  He raised his hand up, letting his hook trail lightly across the front of Chad’s chest.  “Always thinking.  <em>So</em>.” He bared his teeth in a feral sort of grin, looking coyly through his lashes. “Ye got any <em>use</em> for me?”    </p>
<p>Had Gil not already informed Chad extensively of Harry’s behavior, he might have taken this as a threat.  As it was, he knew Harry was just a sort of unique creature, and this was his version of ‘nice’.</p>
<p>“Actually, yes,” Chad said, stepping away from Harry and his weird disregard for personal space.  He walked behind the counter that divided the kitchen from the rest of the lodge and snatched up two large sacks.  “I need you to go down to the beach and collect sand for me.”</p>
<p>He pushed the sacks into Harry’s hands, who accepted them more from confusion than anything else. “…what?”</p>
<p>“Sand,” Chad repeated. “<em>Just</em> sand.  Make sure to pick any twigs and shit out.” He paused, thinking. “You can stop when the sun goes down.”</p>
<p>Harry just sort of stared at him.</p>
<p>“We’ll give you lunch,” Chad continued. “I’m not a complete asshole.  Just go down to the beach and get as much sand as possible.  I’ve got some barrels set up in the smithy you can dump it in when you bring it back.”</p>
<p>“You… want me to go get <em>sand</em>.” There was a familiar glint in Harry’s eye that spoke of a looming rampage, his cheeks heating up with anger. “If ye don’t want me to- I can do something <em>useful</em>.”</p>
<p>“This <em>is</em> useful.” Chad wasn’t sure why Harry would think he’d ask for anything else. “If you’re here to work, then work.  If not, get out of here and send Gil.”  Gil would have been out the door by now.</p>
<p>At the mention of the second mate’s name, Harry’s chest puffed up in affront. “I’ll <em>get</em> yer damn <em>sand!</em>” he snapped, marching out the door with a swirl of his coat. </p>
<p>“No twigs!” Chad reminded him as he stomped down the path, going back to the smithy with a shrug.  If he was going to have sand soon, he may as well get the fire going.  He could get his first set of glass panes finished that <em>day</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Angry though he was, Harry was a good worker; dutifully making multiple trips down to the beach to retrieve sackful’s of sand.  He glared at Chad every time he entered the smithy, staring him down as he emptied each bag before making another run.  Chad literally had to <em>drag</em> him inside to get him to eat something, Harry spitting curses all the while.  He didn’t want Chad’s blasted <em>food</em> or anything to do with Chad’s blasted <em>face</em> and he could complain all he wanted but he was going to eat some <em>damn</em> sustenance.  </p>
<p>Which was how Chad more or less ended up pinning Harry in his lap so he could <em>force him </em>something to eat, Harry struggling and snarling all the while.  His multiple trips up and down the Isle made him radiate heat, sweat dampening his hair and cheeks flushed, and he tried to bite at Chad’s fingers more often than not but eventually they got done, Harry seeming more out of breath than when they started.  Chad sort of felt sorry for LeFou who watched the spectacle for about two minutes before taking lunch in his office like the sane person he was. </p>
<p>Harry practically flew from the Lodge when lunch was over, likely embarrassed to have his pride so mortally wounded. </p>
<p><em>These people</em>.</p>
<p>By sundown, Chad’s barrels were overflowing with sand and he had the first four panes setting, and the first step of greenhouse creation was well on its way.</p>
<p>“<em>There</em>!” Harry threw the sacks down on the ground. “I got ye what ye needed, you <em>ass</em>.”</p>
<p>Chad wasn’t sure what Harry had expected Chad would have to do, though he supposed doing this much manual labor for someone who wasn’t his boss was probably infuriating.  To be fair though, Chad <em>had</em> saved his life.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Harry,” Chad said, which had the added benefit of being polite <em>and</em> annoying. “I look forward to our future time together.”</p>
<p>Harry left him with an unintelligible <em>snarl</em>, marching down the street so ferociously that people literally scattered in his wake.</p>
<p>All-in-all, it was a good day.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Did Uma really send Harry to you?” was how Mal chose to greet him when he returned to Bargain Castle for dinner. “You know, to <em>work off his debt</em>?” She did that thing where she wagged her eyebrows all suggestively, though there was something angry to her gaze, maybe frustration.</p>
<p>“She did,” Chad confirmed, watching as Mal seemed to tense for a moment before pouncing on that delicious morel of gossip.</p>
<p>“<em>So</em>?” she pressed, following him towards the dining hall.  “What’d you have him do?”</p>
<p>“Got him to collect sand all day.”</p>
<p>Mal paused. “…is that a euphemism for something?”</p>
<p>“Unless it’s a euphemism for ‘<em>collect sand all day</em>’, no,” Chad sighed.  Honestly, everything was about sex with his girl. “With his help I was able to start work on the glass panes for the greenhouses.  Based on how much he managed to collect we can probably begin construction on the first one by the end of this week, which reminds me-” He turned to her. “How are you doing on recruiting some muscle?”</p>
<p>“I’ll have your first batch of muscle guys come in Wednesday,” Mal replied distractedly. “But seriously, did you really just have him <em>collect sand</em>?”</p>
<p>“I needed it.” And Chad hadn’t wanted to collect it, though he would have. “What else was I supposed to have him do?”</p>
<p>Slowly, a delighted grin spread over Mal’s face. “Nothing,” she cackled. “You obviously made the right choice.  <em>Man</em>,” she wheezed, wiping at her eye. “Uma’s not going to know what to do with you.  You’re so <em>practical</em>.”</p>
<p>“It’s what’s kept me alive this long,” Chad reminded her, and she agreed with a pleased sort of hum.</p>
<p>Slowly but surely, he was beginning to understand Mal.  Or at the very least, they worked together well.  That was something.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It became a sort of tradition for Evie to stay for dinner.  Apparently she and Carlos were old friends since they lived down the street from each other, and Carlos was one of the few that could climb up to her window to visit her during Maleficent’s ‘banishment’.  It was during these meals that Chad realized that Evie had spent the majority of her confinement reading every book her castle had to offer, making her a veritable fountain of knowledge.  Queen Grimhilde had been somewhat of a master enchanter in her heyday, and Evie possessed all of her knowhow, even if she could practice only a fraction of it.  Potion making and alchemy were her specialties, which led to Chad negotiating a separate contract for those services because he could always use knockout pellets.   </p>
<p>She knew <em>everything</em>.  Everything from the practical aspects of running a kingdom to court proceedings to royal etiquette and battle strategy, most of which she had taught herself because her mother’s main focus was on coaching her into being ‘a perfect wife’. </p>
<p>Which was, frankly, a true waste of her talents.  Chad made a note to keep his eyes peeled for a chessboard the next time he was scouring the docks.  He wanted nothing more than to see how Evie thrived in a game of low stakes strategy. </p>
<p>Of course Mal wasn’t entirely pleased by the transaction, because Evie wasn’t <em>their’s</em> and Chad gave her a lot of his attention, but Evie <em>was</em> cute and sometimes Mal would try to stumble through flirting with her and that was sort of fun.  Evie was even beginning to look closer to a respectable weight for her height – her cheeks dusted in a healthy flush, and she seemed to have more energy. </p>
<p>It was, as far as Chad was concerned, a win for all of them.</p>
<p>“Dinner?” Chad asked out of habit that night as he was escorting Evie out, even though he was already holding open the door to the dining hall.  It wasn’t like Evie ever turned him down.</p>
<p>The princess bit at her lip unhappily, gaze skittering off to the side. “Um… not this time.” </p>
<p>Oh. “Alright.” Chad let the door shut.  The princess <em>did</em> have a life outside Bargain Castle, even if they had already given her an office to do with as she pleased. “I’ll walk you home then.”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Evie rushed to say this, though she seemed embarrassed by the sharp denial, trying to cover it with a ditzy grin. “I mean, I’m fine.  Thanks, Volker.”</p>
<p>Normally, it took three strikes to establish a pattern, but Chad felt comfortable deducing something was wrong after two. “Your highness?”</p>
<p>Evie flushed. “It’s nothing,” she assured him, walking towards the door with confident steps. “I’ve been gaining too much weight, lately, and my mother has expressed some… concerns.”</p>
<p>She had been gaining the weight she should always <em>have</em>, but that was beyond the point.</p>
<p>Chad lowered his voice carefully. “I don’t mean to speak out of turn, your highness, but my offer of protection extends beyond the schoolyard.” She drew to a halt when she realized the implications of his statement, staring at him with a muted sort of sadness she dared not express. “If Queen Grimhilde-”</p>
<p>“My mother is not abusing me,” Evie said quietly, her eyes tinged with moisture.</p>
<p>Now came the part that Evie might not be receptive to, but Chad said it anyway. “She doesn’t have to hit you for it to be abuse, your highness.”</p>
<p>In a moment, it seemed like Evie’s perfect mask cracked, the two of them swallowed by the emptiness of Bargain Castle’s massive entry hall. “…she just wants what’s best for me,” she whispered. “I have to be perfect.”</p>
<p>“You <em>are</em> perfect,” Chad countered, to hell with reinforcing stupid expectations. “You’re brilliant and talented and <em>kind</em>.  Perfection doesn’t come from a dress size, it comes from <em>you</em>, and if Queen Grimhilde tells you anything else, she is <em>wrong</em>.”</p>
<p>Careful, perfect tears seem to spill from the corner of Evie’s eyes. “…she’s my mother.”</p>
<p>“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Gil.  If she was foolish enough to get caught and sent to this island, then maybe she isn’t worth looking up to.”</p>
<p>“But-” Evie swallowed, lashes fluttering in an effort to maintain her composure. “She’s all I have.”</p>
<p>“Your highness.” Chad took her hand carefully, giving it a slight squeeze. “You have us, if you want it, for as <em>long</em> as you want it.”</p>
<p>She managed a watery little laugh. “You know- she’s been training me for years on how to be the perfect princess, but I never felt like royalty until I met you.”</p>
<p>“I’m just giving you the honor deserving of your station, your highness.” Chad held her gaze, let her know that what he said was true. “And it is my honor to do so.”</p>
<p>“Where have you been?” she gasped, squeezing his fingers. “Why did it take you so long to come out of the shadows?”</p>
<p>It was a question he was sure most of them were asking.</p>
<p>He gave the most honest answer he could. “I was surviving, your highness.  And now, you’re going to <em>live</em>.”  He released her hand to give her a handkerchief, one of the lucky stockpiles they had located in the Lodge. “Take as long as you need to compose yourself, then go get dinner.  You and Mal can pick out a room for you if I’m not back by then.”</p>
<p>She was nervous. “Volker…” </p>
<p>“I would never dare claim you as property, your highness.” Best to assuage that concern now. “But we could be allies, if you like.  And allies help each other.”</p>
<p>“You’re like an actual prince charming,” she laughed, patting the handkerchief against her cheeks. “But my mother…”</p>
<p>“I don’t have to kill her if you don’t want me to,” he said. “We can just go get everything you want – everything you decide to claim as your own – and bring it here.  I’ll take care of warning her off.”</p>
<p>“She wouldn’t touch you,” Evie whispered. “Without her magic she’s all bark.  She wouldn’t dare leave the castle to interact with the <em>‘common folk’</em>.”</p>
<p>“Then this will be a painless expedition,” Chad said. “Go get food, I’ll be back soon.”</p>
<p>He left her when he was sure she’d be okay with it, managing her composure with a slight smile.  She already knew the way to the recruit’s bathrooms – was capable of handling herself better than most others, so he didn’t worry about her.  Instead he set his focus to the rooftops, cutting a familiar path to the Chip Shoppe.  Gil wasn’t working that evening – having finally gotten back into Uma’s good graces – but he wasn’t due at the Lodge either, which meant he was likely hanging out inside. </p>
<p>Chad hadn’t visited the establishment since he’d orchestrated the ceasefire between Mal and Uma.  It hadn’t changed much, though there were certainly more people – individuals outside the Wharf Rats actually looking for some hot food to eat. </p>
<p>It didn’t take long to find Gil, mostly because he was at the table of pirates who cheered upon seeing Chad’s entrance.</p>
<p>“<em>Oooh</em>,” one of the girl pirates cooed. “You here for Harry, Volker?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” another laughed. “Gonna make him carry more sand?”</p>
<p>Harry really didn’t <em>have</em> to tell them what he’d been doing if it was apparently so insulting to his pride. </p>
<p>“Volker!” Gil bounced up from the table, meeting Chad halfway. “Hey!  Did you come to talk to Uma?”</p>
<p>“Came for you, actually,” Chad said, brushing past his own confusion.  Why would he be here for anyone else? “I need your associating, if you don’t mind.”</p>
<p>“Um…” Gil blinked, looking nervously over his shoulder. “You sure you don’t want Harry?  Uma might come, but she’s on shift-”</p>
<p>“Gil,” Chad sighed. “What are we?”</p>
<p>“…associates?”</p>
<p>“And what are Harry and I?”</p>
<p>Gil looked like he very much didn’t want to answer that question.</p>
<p>“<em>Not</em> associates,” Chad clarified. “Now, come on.”</p>
<p>He motioned the blond out the door, realizing this could easily put him back in Uma’s poor graces but now that he had a safe place to stay at the Lodge, Chad wasn’t worried about it.  They got maybe ten feet out on the docks before Harry burst out the doors of the Chip Shoppe.</p>
<p>“And where the hell do ye think you’re going?” he snarled, advancing upon them with his hook raised.</p>
<p>Chad tried counting to ten internally, made it to three and then disarmed Harry, twisting his arm until it was neatly pinned behind his back. “I need muscle, Hook.  Unless you’re looking to pay off some of your debt, this doesn’t concern you.”</p>
<p>In a pattern that was becoming familiar, Harry thrashed against his hold. “If it concerns Gil, it concerns me!” Chad let him simmer in his frustration for a few seconds before letting him go, allowing the pirate to turn on them in a furious snarl. “I’m coming too, and don’t ye dare try to stop me.”</p>
<p>“Fine.” They may as well have more people to carry stuff; Evie was likely going to want to take the entire library. “Come on.”</p>
<p>Harry paused, closed his mouth because he clearly hadn’t expected such easy agreement, and followed Chad’s lead, muttering under his breath while Gil grinned brightly beside him, likely pleased to have two of his four favorite people in one place. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The others were still in the small dining hall when he got back, Mal’s arms folded across her chest in an expression of barely contained fury, Carlos sitting with Evie, one arm wrapped around her shoulders.</p>
<p>“Got some backup,” Chad explained, motioning to Gil and Harry. “I’ll get some of the older kids to come with us and leave Hermie in charge of everyone here.  We’re going to Castle-Across-the-Way, getting <em>whatever</em> Evie wants, and carrying it to Hell Hall.  We’ll make another trip to transfer everything back here in the daylight.” They were already pushing things as it was, there was no point in setting up a bunch of easy targets loaded down with <em>stuff</em> for some industrious ne'er-do-well to try and rob this late at night. “Everyone understand?”</p>
<p>“Quick question.” Mal held up a hand. “Gil I get, but why is Hook here?”</p>
<p>“He felt like being useful,” Chad interrupted whatever snarling response Harry had. “Any other questions?” </p>
<p>“What about the Evil Queen?” Carlos asked. “Won’t she be there?”</p>
<p>“I’ll keep an eye on her.” Chad had already decided that much. “However long this takes, I’ll watch her.  No one has to worry about her.”</p>
<p>“You’re not killing her?” Harry asked.</p>
<p>Under the shelter of Carlos’ arm, Evie tensed.</p>
<p>“Am I killing the crazy shut-in?” Chad asked. “No, it’s a waste of effort.  Let her keep Castle-Across-the-Way.  It’s too big to efficiently run anyway.”</p>
<p>“Make her live with the ramifications of her mistakes,” Mal surmised. “<em>Nice</em>, I like it.”</p>
<p>“I thought you might.”</p>
<p>He let the others troop to the entry hall, Chad ducking into the dormitories to select a few volunteers and make the announcement about Evie’s change to ally status.  He left Hermie in charge armed with her bow and a quiver of arrows (one of the first things he had done was teach her how to use one, how to make arrows, and how to activate the distance traps he had set up around the castle property – she was timid enough that he knew she wouldn’t use the information against him if she could, though he kept an eye on her anyway).  </p>
<p>All-in-all, it was a group of nine that Chad led through the shadows, coaxing them through ill-used passageways until they were safely at Castle-Across-the-Way, Evie seeming to shiver in her boots. </p>
<p>“Take anything Princess Evelyn tells you to and nothing else,” Chad ordered as they filtered in the gates. He pulled Carlos aside as the others went in. “Stay with her, will you?”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Carlos nodded.  For him, that may have always been the plan.</p>
<p>Evie was waiting for them just inside the door. “She’s probably in her study,” she whispered, as though she didn’t dare raise her voice. “She likes to go there and relive her ‘good ‘ole days’ before bed.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, your highness.” Chad squeezed her arm. “It’s going to be okay, think of this as another supply run.”</p>
<p>“But what if she’s right?” Evie asked. “What if I am no good without her?”</p>
<p>“Your highness,” Chad began, aware of Carlos’ inquisitive gaze. “Your greatest features are motivated entirely by yourself, not your mother’s influence.  Your intellect, attention to detail, and eye for strategy are what will make you a brilliant leader – not your ability to cook or manage a house.  Though, for the record, those are useful too.”</p>
<p>Evie laughed, seeming to come back to herself. “You’re right.  Of course, you’re right.  I’ll just…” She forced a pleased smile that got more genuine with each passing moment. “I’ll just start claiming what’s mine.”</p>
<p>“That’s the spirit.” Chad grinned, squeezing her arm. “Send Mal for me when you’re done, please.”</p>
<p>“We will,” Carlos said.  And with that, they got to work.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Staring down the Evil Queen was not entirely how Chad felt like using his next few hours, and in truth it <em>wouldn’t</em> be how he spent them, but for this initial bit he knew it was important to establish a sort of understanding for how things would be moving forward.</p>
<p>To her credit, the Queen Grimhilde did not seem surprised when he slipped into her study, staring at him in the reflection of a cracked mirror before she deigned to turn and greet him.</p>
<p>“So,” she began quietly, eyes narrowing with frustration. “You must be Volker.”</p>
<p>“The one and the same,” Chad said, deciding to hold his ground by the door.  He didn’t bother to rest a hand on his axe, knew Evie had been right in her assessment.  Without her magic, the Evil Queen was merely a bitter, unbalanced civilian, and not much of a threat.  Not even in her own territory.</p>
<p>She quirked one eyebrow at him, though aside from that her posture remained perfect, noble training drilled into her so thoroughly that even all these years on the Isle couldn’t make it fade. “Are you here to kill me?”</p>
<p>“No.” This seemed to surprise her, though she recovered quickly. “You may attribute that kindness to your daughter.”</p>
<p>At the mention of Evie, the queen sneered. “So you’ve stolen her, have you?” She made a show of looking him over. “You, a bloodthirsty <em>pauper</em>?”</p>
<p>“Me, a leader who respects her,” Chad replied. “Let me make one thing clear: Evie is with us now.  You will not speak to her unless she seeks you out, you will not bother her, you will not find any way to interfere with her life.  Should you do any of these things, I will go back on the generosity she extended and claim your head.”</p>
<p>“You’re so tough now, aren’t you?” the queen murmured coolly, glaring at him with open disdain. “Kill a few villains and you think you run everything.”</p>
<p>“Not everything,” Chad replied. “But this, I do.”</p>
<p>“You will <em>ruin</em> her,” the queen snarled, finally losing hold of her composure. “All the lessons I painstakingly taught her-”</p>
<p>“Disregarded for more useful things,” Chad interrupted. “You can be mad about it later, but for now, you’re going to sleep.”</p>
<p>With that, Chad knocked her unconscious, resting her body on the moldy couch and waiting until Mal came and got him, the half-fae raising one brow at the queen’s condition before offering Chad a high five.</p>
<p>For once, he decided to indulge her, and returned it. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They ended up spending the night in Hell Hall. </p>
<p>It was, without question, <em>weird</em>, because it was sort of like having a makeshift sleepover, only one of the guests was Harry Hook, who pretended to be annoyed but whose gaze still got a little bit soft whenever he looked at Evie when he thought no one could see him, and another guest was Gil, who could keep the older kids entertained, and the last guest was Evie, who looked torn between holding onto her composure and crying in relief.</p>
<p>In the end, her tears didn’t come until they were setting up her bedroom and office back at Bargain Castle the next day, and just as he had before, Chad passed her a fresh handkerchief, dutifully looking the other way so she could have a moment of vulnerability without the burden of an audience.</p>
<p>Mal found the entire exchange <em>sweet</em>, but also guarded the door during that breakdown, leaning against the wall and pretending that her presence was entirely happenstance.  Carlos didn’t bother with as much pretense and bashfully held Evie’s hand through the process, the princess eventually giving up and throwing her arms around him in a hug he didn’t seem to know how to handle. </p>
<p>Overall, things were good.  Chad felt better about having Evie around permanently, and it seemed to make Carlos and Mal happier, which was all Chad could hope for.</p>
<p>It was the beginning of a new chapter for them, and for once, it hadn’t ended with a new head on their gate.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to everyone for the deluge of support!!  I’m glad you’re enjoying this take on Chad, and it’s always a pleasure to hear from you :)  </p>
<p>If you have any questions about this particular verse, please feel free to ask them!  I will answer them to the best of my ability, assuming it doesn’t give too much away ;D</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>To clarify, Gil’s four favorite people are LeFou, Uma, Harry, and Chad. </p>
<p>And yes, writing oblivious Chad is always a good time, thanks for asking :)</p>
<p>Until next time</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Enlisting Thieves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Guess who got his dumb ass kidnapped again?” Mal purred, barging into Chad and Evie’s meeting that was really just an excuse to play chess.  “I’ll give you a hint, he’s got a dumb accent and he’s ready to <em>hook</em> anyone he sees.” </p>
<p>“Who would kidnap Harry?” Chad asked, refusing to tear his eyes away from the chessboard.  Pieces had a tendency to <em>rearrange </em>themselves if he let his guard down, not that he’d ever caught Evie in the act of it.</p>
<p>“His dear ‘ole sister.” Mal flopped onto the nearby couch and stretched like a satisfied cat. “Has him aboard her ship.  So…” She offered a wicked grin. “You gonna go save your <em>property</em>?”</p>
<p>Chad took a moment to process the fact that Harry had a sister. “Do you know why she kidnapped him?”</p>
<p>“Might have mentioned something about <em>‘testing the mettle’</em> of so-called suitors,” Mal drawled, seeming to find the entire deal amusing.</p>
<p>Chad moved a piece with no particular strategy in mind, knowing that it would drive Evie mad. “So she wants Uma to prove herself as a captain, except I claimed Harry so now it’s <em>my</em> problem.” He sighed. “I don’t want to sink her ship if I don’t have to.  And killing them all would be a waste of time.”</p>
<p>And they hadn’t committed any crimes in Auradon, so he felt less inclined to do so.</p>
<p>Mal was doing that thing where it was obvious Chad had missed some kind of social cue but she didn’t know how to tell him about it because it was <em>obvious</em>.</p>
<p>Across the board, Evie giggled.</p>
<p>Isle people, honestly.</p>
<p>“…guess I could go the stealth route,” Chad decided. “Make it like Harry was never there.  That’d be annoying.”</p>
<p>“So you’re going to save him?” Evie asked.</p>
<p>“I <em>have</em> to.” Just like Chad had to lose this game, because it wasn’t like he was ever going to employ his true strategies against Evie for her to acquire and memorize.  She <em>would</em>.  She was crafty. “How long has she had him?”</p>
<p>“Grabbed him this morning,” Mal replied, somewhat back to her usual self.</p>
<p>Chad knocked his king over in a sign of surrender, making Evie preen in satisfaction. “Then I better get planning.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Because Harry <em>dipshit</em> Hook managed to get himself kidnapped <em>yet again</em>, Chad ended breaking out the crossbow he had Carlos modify for him faster than he’d anticipated.  He also had to upgrade the damn thing with a few runes so that the launching force would be strong enough to burry one of his few metal bolts (that he’d been <em>saving</em>) deep into the mast of the ship. </p>
<p>The way Chad figured it, the most optimal way of getting on the ship was going to be via zipline, which was what his crossbow would be used for, while his regular bow would be used to propel the sleeping bombs he had to create at the last minute. </p>
<p>Everything was ready by the time he traveled the roofs to the Chip Shoppe, where Chad waited patiently for Gil to appear, because he wasn’t carrying Harry by himself. </p>
<p>Upon seeing him, Gil immediately made his way to the base of Chad’s building, waiting for him with barely restrained excitement. “Are we rescuing Harry?” Gil asked. “I would have come sooner but Uma said Harriet wouldn’t hurt him and also I wasn’t allowed to but I thought-”</p>
<p>“Yes, Gil,” Chad interrupted. “We’re going to rescue Harry.” </p>
<p>“<em>Yes</em>.” Gil pumped his fist.  He might actually be a giant golden retriever. </p>
<p>“Now, come on.” Chad motioned for him to follow. “We’re going to kill time at the Lodge until the most strategic rescue moment.”</p>
<p>“When’s that?”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It was about three in the morning when Chad rousted Gil from his nap.  He waved LeFou’s apprentice, Biggs, goodnight before leading the second mate out into the darkness, towards one of the few other ships nestled at the docks.  Chad had scouted it out earlier, when Gil had taken his nap. </p>
<p>“Just like last time,” Chad told him when they were three blocks away. “You stay here and I’ll bring Harry to you, okay?  You take him back to the Lost Revenge and then call it a night.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Gil nodded to show he understood the importance of this task. “Good luck, Volker.”</p>
<p>Climbing up to the roofs was a familiar task, and Chad had no trouble locating the building he had picked out earlier as a point of entry.  There were six guards above deck that Chad could see.  Most of them were congregated around the gangplank – the sane human’s method of boarding the ship – while one was in the crow’s nest, keeping their eyes peeled for signs of <em>Volker</em>.</p>
<p>Chad took the lookout down first – fired a sleeping bomb right at his feet when the others bust into a round of laughter at some joke or another.  The lookout inhaled the cloud of sleeping dust that was emitted and immediately slumped over the rail, safely unconscious.  Chad notched another two arrows and repeated the performance on the sentries posted up on deck, until the smoke cleared to reveal their unconscious bodies. </p>
<p>Honestly, it’s like they didn’t even <em>care</em> if they lived.</p>
<p>Chad tied off the rope for his zipline to one of his building’s major support beams before readying his crossbow, aiming for the base of the mast.  Everything worked as intended, and with one last glance to his surroundings, he rode the line down to the deck of the ship. </p>
<p>Sneaking into the depths of the ship should have been harder.  It really should have.  Chad used his sling to set off sleeping bombs in every major room he came across – which included the bunks, the galley, and what might have been the weaponry.  If he caught any crewmember by themselves, he knocked them out the manual way before giving them a whiff of sleeping vapors Evie had made for him. </p>
<p>He made it all the way down to the brig before he finally caught sight of his target.</p>
<p>“Let me out of here, ye <em>idiot</em>,” Harry snarled, thrashing against the bars of his cage despite the late hour. “Bloody ask me over for a visit and ye lock me in a <em>cage.</em>”</p>
<p>“I wanna see how good this guy really is,” an older teenager – likely Harry’s sister, given the resemblance – drawled. “I need to know if he’ll fight for ye.”</p>
<p>Considering the fact that it was only the two of them in the room, Chad had no problem melting out of the shadows. “I already killed an entire pirate crew for him, I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish here.”</p>
<p>“Ah, <em>Volker</em>,” Harriet grinned, seeming awfully composed for someone standing in the same room as a mass murderer. “Can I guess by the lack of blood that you <em>haven’t</em> slaughtered my crew?”</p>
<p>“Thought I’d be lenient since you’re his sister,” Chad drawled. “But you <em>did</em> take what’s mine, so restitution is owed.”</p>
<p>“What did you end up doing to my crew, then?” Harriet asked, unconcerned with Chad’s comment. “Knock ‘em out?  Tie ‘em up?”</p>
<p>“Sleeping potion,” Chad replied. “Give me the key.”</p>
<p>“Ah-ah.” She waved a finger at him. “Ye’ve got to earn it.”</p>
<p>He grabbed her extended arm and twisted it, shoving hard on the middle until he heard a definite <em>snap</em>.</p>
<p>“Volker!” Harry snarled over his sister’s cry. “Are ye mad?”</p>
<p>“Obviously,” Chad replied, deadpan as he riffled through his sister’s pockets. “Do I have your attention now, Miss Hook?”</p>
<p>“I suppose,” she hissed through a strained smile. “Wanted to see what your response time was.  It isn’t great.”</p>
<p>“Waiting for the most opportune moment is always great,” Chad said, <em>finally</em> locating the key.  He shoved her to the ground, palming the few knives he found on her person before unlocking Harry’s cell. “Congratulations – you work for us now.  Report to Bargain Castle tomorrow afternoon or I’ll set your damn ship on fire.” He grabbed Harry’s wrist and <em>dragged</em> him out of the cell, half tempted to throw him over his shoulder and be done with it.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>, Harry,” Harriet laughed. “Ye sure can pick ‘em.”</p>
<p>Chad cut off whatever snarling remark Harry had in store. “You can get your arm set after orientation tomorrow.  Or don’t, and watch your ship burn down.”</p>
<p>With that, he left her, dragging Harry in his wake.</p>
<p>“Ye didn’t have to break her <em>arm</em>, ye <em>idiot,</em>” Harry snapped, attempting to struggle out of Chad’s grip.</p>
<p>“She took something that was mine,” Chad replied simply. “She’s lucky I didn’t cut off her damn head.” He paused, looking over his shoulder. “I can still do that, if you want.”</p>
<p>Harry stared at him in a mixture of terror and surprise, though he immediately blustered over it. “No, it’s <em>fine</em>.  Ye just got her <em>servitude</em> to assuage your bloodthirst, didn’t ye?” Reluctantly, he followed Chad up the stairs. “Not like she hasn’t been wanting to join ye anyway.  Stupid <em>git</em>.  Probably did this on purpose.  ‘Wanted to see if ye were worthy’ my <em>ass</em>.”</p>
<p>“If my annoyance and her recruitment was the ultimate goal then yes, she did a great job.” Though there was an easier way to go about it, like <em>just asking</em>.  “Could you maybe try not to get kidnapped again?”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t a kidnapping <em>this</em> time.” Harry bristled. “I was visiting my sister.  <em>She’s</em> the one who told everyone she was holding me hostage.  Ye think Uma wouldn’t have been worried if I was <em>actually</em> kidnapped?” Finally, Chad got them above the deck and aimed them for the gangplank, pausing to reacquire his metal bolt from the original zipline and toss his rope overboard so they wouldn’t find it.  “Face it, ye got played.  She knew ye wouldn’t kill her, not if ye actually-” </p>
<p>He cut off suddenly, seeming to swallow his words.</p>
<p>Against his better judgement, Chad pulled them to a stop, turning his focus to Harry. “If I actually <em>what</em>, Harry?”</p>
<p>Even in the lowlight of the moon, Chad could see a brilliant flush across Harry’s features. “…not if ye actually liked me.”</p>
<p>Chad… tried to process this.  Didn’t.</p>
<p>“Harry,” he began carefully. “I <em>don’t</em> like you.  You are easily one of the most irritating individuals I have to interact with, but you are <em>mine</em>.  Therefore, if someone tries to fuck with you, I am obligated to <em>save</em> your dumb ass.”</p>
<p>With that, he continued dragging Harry off the gangplank, mind whirling with the possibilities of additional recruits and future plans.  He left Harry – uncharacteristically silent but super characteristically pouting in Gil’s hands – and was done with it, returning to Bargain Castle to give Mal the good news.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>On the basis of severely pissing Chad off, Harriet’s crew took over junk-collection duty from the young recruits while Chad showed the kids the ins and outs of mulch creation, then sent them off towards the forest to start collecting dirt for the gardens. </p>
<p>When the pirates arrived for dinner, sweating but somehow in good spirits, Harriet flagged Chad down with a smile. “What the hell did ye say to my brother?  Uma says he’s been in a daze since ye rescued him.”</p>
<p>“Nothing he didn’t know,” Chad replied, hoping to cover his honest confusion because literally nothing about what he’d said had been shocking.</p>
<p>“Ye’d think that,” Harriet scoffed. “But the lad’s dumb as dirt.”</p>
<p>“Harriet,” Chad began lowly. “I will break your other arm.”</p>
<p>“Fine, <em>fine</em>,” she held up her uninjured arm in surrender. “I can see which way the wind blows.”</p>
<p>“Now if only you’d figured that out <em>before</em> you kidnapped your brother,” Chad drawled, then made his way back to Mal and Carlos, who provided substantially better conversation.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The hard part about starting a school from scratch on the Isle of the Lost was finding qualified teachers who were not, in fact, psychopaths.  And yet, it seemed like for every five major villains there was a LeFou or a Mr. Smee, which meant that sooner or later Chad was able to locate suitable candidates that he wouldn’t mind liberating to Auradon one day.  That was what spurred Chad and Mal’s massive recruitment drive, leaving them to thoroughly comb the Isle for individuals who did not seem past the point of redemption.</p>
<p>Chad started with the easiest targets – the henchman and lackies like LeFou, who had committed minor crimes and whose only real failing was being loyal to the wrong person.  That was what led him to track down Kronk (whom Emperor Kuzco had fought tooth and nail to save, whose requests were rejected under the initial zero tolerance policy of the isle), his wife Ms. Birdwell (a civil rights activist and Isle-criticizer who had been banished on a technicality) along with their son, Kako, who seemed to be mini-recreation of his father.    </p>
<p>Kronk and Ms. Birdwell were naturals with children, and seemed to be relieved when they realized the orphans that had been disappearing from the streets had relocated to Bargain Castle.  Apparently both of them had tried to apply to teach at the other schools but had been turned away due to their ‘lack of evil initiative’, which was all the better for Chad.  He put Kronk in charge of Recess, of working the kids through teamwork exercises that also doubled as fun (because they deserved it, <em>damnit</em>).  Ms. Birdwell taught basic survival skills – knots and trapping, ropemaking, animal interaction and basic skills one might learn in scout troop out in Auradon. </p>
<p>Their son, Kako, used the knowledge already impressed upon him by his mother to help with construction of the gardens and greenhouse frames, always seeming in a chipper mood.  The Birdwell family was given the suite next to Chef Louis and his mother, and Chad knew that sooner rather than later that wing was going to be bustling with life.  </p>
<p>Another easy pick had come in the form of Wiggins – the former manservant of Governor Ratcliffe.  The man was ditzy but dedicated to his duty, which was what had condemned him to the Isle in the first place.  He’d been sticking with Governor Ratcliffe for the sake of protection, but once he heard Chad and Mal’s offer, the tired but still somehow cheerful man was happy to come aboard.  His motivations were likely spurred by the included protection of his teenage twins – Junior and Ethel, whom were also recruited. </p>
<p>Due to his gentle and enthusiastic nature, Chad placed Wiggins in charge of teaching reading/writing to the kids too young and neglected to have learned it yet.  Junior, Chad assigned to the gardens with Kako, which left an enthusiastic Ethel to manage the caper chart, ensuring that the used public areas of Bargain Castle were always in relatively good shape.</p>
<p>Cassim was the one to find Mal, the man stubbornly elusive from his days running with the Forty Thieves.  The father of Lord Consort Aladdin was a kind man who had been forced into unfavorable circumstances, and not even his connection to the Agraben royalty had been enough to spare him from the Isle.  Still, he had gotten by much like Chad – stealing from those who had relative excess and keeping to himself, but once he heard about Chad’s initiative for a useful school, he’d gladly volunteered his efforts.  Due to his world-trotting experiences, Cassim was slated to teach about the different kingdoms that comprised Auradon, as well as a Literature class for the older students (at his request upon seeing Bargain Castle’s library).  </p>
<p>“They need to learn about non-human cultures too,” Mal said when they were reviewing Cassim’s lesson plans. “Hold on, I think I’ve got this.”</p>
<p>That was what led to Mal dragging Chad to the highest corners of Bargain Castle, to the neglected attics that had long since been abandoned for storage purposes.</p>
<p>“Hey!” She chucked a rock she seemed to have carried up with her into the gloom, disrupting a thick layer of dust. “Stop moping and get <em>out</em> here!”</p>
<p>“<em>Moping</em>?” A voice drawled – an older male, which was confirmed when a dark-haired gentleman stumbled out of the darkness. “Who’s <em>moping</em>?  Who would mope when they’re stuck with <em>stupid</em>, stubby <em>fingers?</em>”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I get it, being human sucks,” Mal huffed with a roll of her eyes. “Volker, this is Diaval.  He was my mother’s righthand man back before she went crazy.”</p>
<p>“Righthand <em>bird</em>, thank you,” Diaval snapped, though it lacked a certain heat to it.  “Look at this,” he said, offering out spread hands. “I used to have such beautiful feathers, and <em>now</em> look at me.”</p>
<p>“Diaval, <em>focus</em>,” Mal said with a scowl. “This is Volker.  Remember, Volker?  You like him.”</p>
<p>“Volker?” Diaval echoed, squinting at Chad’s form before a smile eventually tugged at his lips. “Oh, right.  You’re the one that freed Maleficent.  Thanks for that.”</p>
<p>“…you’re welcome,” Chad replied for lack of better option.</p>
<p>Mal rolled her eyes again. “Diaval is under the impression that the magic-cutoff from the barrier drove my mother into complete insanity.”</p>
<p>“She was a full-blooded fae, of <em>course</em> it did,” Diaval shot back as though this were undisputable. “She was already emotionally vulnerable and- never mind, it doesn’t matter.  Why are you here?”</p>
<p>“We need teachers,” Mal explained without a hint of the begrudging weariness she had used every other time they had this conversation. “If you’re going to stay here, you’re going to earn your keep.”</p>
<p>“And <em>how</em> would you like me to do that?” Diaval pressed.  At this point, he seemed more contrary for the sake of it, tired and holding together by the barest threads.</p>
<p>“You’re going to teach our recruits about magical creatures,” Mal declared with a smirk. “And about whatever magic stuff my mom might have told you before you went off the deep end.”</p>
<p>“…this is going to require me to speak to more <em>humans</em>, isn’t it?” Diaval asked somewhat pitifully, and Mal, for the first time since Chad had met her, shifted into a smile that was somewhere close to fond.</p>
<p>“Suck it up, buttercup,” she drawled. “And pack up your shit.  You’re going to have to lower yourself to interacting with <em>humanity</em> on a regular basis.”</p>
<p>“What a horrid life I lead,” Diaval sighed, but then he also started packing a bag, which seemed as close to a formal line of acceptance as they were going to get from him.</p>
<p>Upon seeing a few other families being recruited, Arthur had approached Chad after breakfast one day, asking if his mother could help with the new school.  Apparently, she already earned what she could working in a clothing repair shop, but without protection she was constantly being ripped off and taken advantage of, which was what had sent Arthur to the streets in the first place. </p>
<p>She was a good tailor – not as good as Evie, but few were – and seemed more than capable of teaching basic sewing skills.  She also didn’t seem to mind deferring to Evie’s expertise, allowing the young princess to set a lesson plan along with production goals to keep their army properly outfitted. </p>
<p>Watching Arthur move his mother into the suite that had been freshly-cleaned by Ethel Wiggins was one of the smaller joys Chad would carry around with him, the pride on Arthur’s face combined with his mother’s overwhelmed relief, the poor woman not seeming to know what to do with the combined joviality of Kronk and Wiggins Senior.</p>
<p>Other teachers came by way of VKs.  Mal was the one to recommend most of them, slipping into Serpent Prep and Dragon Hall to get a feel for who wanted positions of authority or protection from their parents or a stable food source.  That was how they got Mad Maddie – the granddaughter of Madam Mim – to teach Alchemy, the girl taking one look at Chad’s collection of carefully procured chemical components before signing onboard. </p>
<p>Sammy Smee – the older brother of Squeaky and Squirmy – proved to be a natural with the younger kids and took over teaching Chad’s basic training, helping the kids learn how to disengage from hostile situations and learn what minor combat skills they could.  Hedvig Sinclair, the daughter of Lieutenant Helga Sinclair, had a sense of dedication and discipline that she must have picked up from her mother.  She passed on the skills that had been taught to her by the disgraced Auradon Lieutenant that had almost crippled Atlantis, teaching the older kids advanced combat tactics – including hand-to-hand, quarterstaff, knife, and sword fighting. </p>
<p>Hagen, the son of Prince Hanz of the Southern Isles, had ‘deigned’ to agree to teaching a class on etiquette, though he seemed confused as to the purpose of it.  Mal did too, though they had no way of knowing Chad’s plans to eventually liberate his recruits from the Isle, meaning that they would need to understand how basic Auradon social interactions were managed.  After thoroughly reviewing Hagen’s lesson plans (which he had been reluctant to create until Chad had fingered the hilt of his axe), he released the minor royal onto his students. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the recruitment of Hagen and Evie had led to Ravenmoth – the son of Morzenrath, former King of the Black Sands – to approach them.  Mal almost turned him away on account of being ‘<em>a scheming little</em> <em>shit</em>’.  At that point, Chad had learned to trust Mal’s judgement when it came to these sorts of things, so he was inclined to agree with her.</p>
<p>It was Evie, of all people, that had convinced them otherwise, somehow communicating without outright <em>saying</em> that Ravenmoth’s haughty behavior was a mask to cover the insecurity forged at the hands of Morzenrath’s constant criticism and abuse.  She pledged to keep Ravenmoth and Hagen in line, which was the only reason Chad (and eventually, Mal) allowed them to join up. </p>
<p>Evie was the one to set Ravenmoth up with a ‘strategy’ class, a sort of elective that taught the kids critical thinking skills through a multitude of scenarios. Which, in the instance they did <em>not</em> get off the Isle, they would need.  He was also tasked with basic mathematics – teaching kids how to count and handle money, basic algebra, and geometry, as needed.     </p>
<p>There were a few other classes.  An Art elective taught by Dary, son of Dale – an artist/conman from Corona that was a C-list villain at <em>best</em>, that taught the kids how to mark their territory, and also redecorated Bargain Castle and Hell Hall with murals that seemed to raise the army’s spirits. </p>
<p>There was Archery and bow and arrow making taught by Gerda – an intense woman whose major crime was being loyal to the Ulstead Queen who had attempted to sabotage the wedding of Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora.  It had failed, of course, and Gerda had taken the fall for her queen, leaving the severe woman to survive by the skin of her teeth.  She had a young son, Gregor, whose father they learned not to ask about, and it was for him that Chad suspected she had really joined, the young child seeming to blossom under the care of their teachers.  </p>
<p>Overall, it wasn’t a bad range of classes, and Evie reveled in planning out schedules, assigning the kids to each class based on their feedback and meeting with the teachers to ensure that all of them understood how they were to behave and what sort of dynamic was allowed.  Mal and Chad stood back and watched her enthusiasm grow, silently declaring her the unofficial principal of their thrown-together institution and leaving it at that.</p>
<p>It wasn’t by any means perfect, but it <em>was</em> better, and that was all Chad could hope for.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“We need a thief,” Chad decided at their next informal meeting. </p>
<p>He, Mal, Carlos, and Gil were gathered in the war room, and while they <em>were</em> working on official business, Chad had let Gil stay over Mal’s objections, because their plans weren’t going to matter much to Uma <em>anyway</em>. </p>
<p>“Aren’t you a thief?” Mal asked. “You ‘acquire’ things all the time.”</p>
<p>“We need a <em>full-time</em> thief,” Chad corrected. “We need to delegate tasks in order to maintain our success.”</p>
<p>“Spare me the business jargon,” Mal said with a roll of her eyes.  “I can get us a thief.”</p>
<p>“You mean Jay?” Carlos asked, his hands twisting together.  It was one of his few tells that he was truly uncomfortable.</p>
<p>“Yes.” Mal narrowed her eyes, as though to ask what of it. “He’s the best one there is and I’m sure he’ll accept contract work.  Dude likes money.”</p>
<p>“You have any concerns over this guy?” Chad aimed the question at Carlos, since he seemed to be the only one with a hang-up. “Gil?”</p>
<p>“Oh, he steals from me all the time,” Gil chirped. “Or, he used to.  Mal’s right, he’s real good.”</p>
<p>Carlos frowned. “…he bullied me for years.” At Chad’s pointed look, he elaborated, “Not anymore, of course.”</p>
<p>“And never again,” Chad said. “We can make it so you never see him.”</p>
<p>Carlos considered this. “…okay, yeah.  I’d prefer that.”</p>
<p>“Great.” Chad turned his attention back to Mal. “Arrange a meeting with your thief, please.”</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>,” Mal giggled.  She still got a kick out of Chad’s insistence on manners. “You got it, partner.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Jay, as it turned out, was the son of Jafar.  He was tall and muscular and moved with a confident sort of grace that spoke well to his profession.  Chad had cleared out the office they were meeting in of anything valuable, as well as the halls Mal brought him in through, just to be safe.  If he was as good a thief as they said, there was no point in taking chances.</p>
<p>“Hey, sweet cheeks,” was how Jay chose to greet him, squinting his eyes in a manner that may have been seductive.  “Heard you have work for me.”</p>
<p>“Contract work,” Chad clarified.  Mal had already informed him that Jay wasn’t looking to join up. “We require a list of particular materials from the docks.  For every item retrieved, you’ll be suitably compensated.”</p>
<p>“I already work to retrieve stuff for my dad,” Jay drawled. “And he’s, well, my <em>dad</em>.  Why should I pick up a contract with you?”</p>
<p>“Because you want money?” Chad shared a look with Mal, they had already talked about this. “It’s a free market, Jay.  You don’t have to accept the job if you don’t want to.”</p>
<p>“No, I was thinking…” Jay shifted, crossing his arms to pull their focus to his muscles, which he seemed to consciously flex. “Maybe we could arrange a <em>different</em> sort of deal.”</p>
<p>“You’ve got one minute to make a counter offer,” Chad decided. “<em>Go</em>.”</p>
<p>This seemed to catch Jay off guard. “Um- word on the street is you have access to fresh vegetables.  I want some.”</p>
<p>“Those are for recruits only.” They had to keep <em>something</em> as an added benefit, otherwise they wouldn’t get new human capital. “Not contract workers.  What else?”</p>
<p>It didn’t seem like Jay was used to hearing the word ‘no’. “Okay.  Your axes-”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” This was a waste of time. “I’ve decided your minute’s up.” He sent Mal a look. “Any chance you know who the <em>second</em>-best thief is?”</p>
<p>“Probably you,” Mal drawled.</p>
<p>“Then we’ll find the third.”  He motioned for Jay to leave. “Thank you for your time, Jadir, but it seems we have no need of your services.”</p>
<p>“Um…” The guy blinked at him. “What?”</p>
<p>“Take the money offer or go,” Mal clarified. “Sweet <em>evil</em>, Jay, even you’re not this dumb.  We can keep it on the downlow if you think it’ll piss off your dad.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need money,” Jay shot back, getting flustered. “I need a <em>bed.</em>”</p>
<p>Immediately his expression shifted to one of surprise – it was obvious that he hadn’t intended to say as much – before he schooled it into impassiveness, though Chad could tell there was some anxiety by the tension of his shoulders.</p>
<p>“…I need a bed,” he repeated. “But I don’t want to join up.”</p>
<p>Chad considered this. “That could work,” he allowed. “We can set you up with a room that has easy window accessibility, that way you don’t have to worry about coming through the front door.”</p>
<p>“Wait, are we actually gonna do this?” Mal asked. “He’s not one of us.”</p>
<p>“So he won’t get any of the other benefits,” Chad said. “But as long as he consistently brings us things we need, we can give him a bed.  We’ve got the space, after all.” He cocked his head to the side, thinking. “You’ll have to sneak in through the side gate though.”</p>
<p>“To avoid <em>unpleasantness</em>,” Mal explained, preening at the prospect of someone getting poisoned.</p>
<p>“We’ll have it ready by tomorrow,” Chad decided. “Think of it as a goodwill advancement, though Jadir…” He narrowed his eyes, hoping Jay would understand that he definitely meant business. “We will not tolerate anyone stealing from <em>us</em>.”</p>
<p>“Nope,” Mal agreed. “And if you’re pondering the consequences of such a thing, just remember that Volker likes to decorate his fences with miscellaneous body parts.”</p>
<p>Jay didn’t gulp because he was too well trained for that, but he definitely registered the threat. “So… you had a list?”</p>
<p>“Right.” Chad retrieved the necessary document, its duplicate already safely filed away in his office. “We’re mostly looking for electrical components and fabric…”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad was beginning to regret claiming Harry Hook as his property. </p>
<p>On one hand, it made Gil happy.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it had proven to be nothing but an inconvenience for Chad.  For now.  Forever. </p>
<p>Because Harry <em>dipshit</em> Hook was a magnet for trouble, to such an excessive extent Chad was actually impressed that Uma kept him around.  He was just- <em>exhausting</em>.  And since he wasn’t actually part of Chad’s crew, people didn’t mind targeting him.  Which meant he didn’t hear about this bullshit until <em>after</em> the fact, because Chad was busy running a mini empire and didn’t have time to keep tabs on an errant asshole outside of Gil’s ramblings. </p>
<p>“Hey boss,” Harriet drawled, wandering close to Chad when the afternoon patrols were going out. “Guess whose coat got tarred by someone who doesn’t like you?”</p>
<p>“I fucking swear,” Chad murmured, aiming an annoyed look at Mal, who didn’t have the decency to contain her joy. “That asshole goes out of his way to make my life more annoying.”</p>
<p>“Probably does,” Harriet agreed with a delighted smirk. “It’s attention from you, after all.”</p>
<p>“Just tell me who did it,” Chad said, fingering the head of his axe.</p>
<p>“It was Shan Yu’s kid!” Darla spoke up, forever a busybody, though her nosiness had proven useful on many occasions. “You gonna cut off her head?”</p>
<p>“Think I’ll go for something that leans more towards long-term suffering,” Chad drawled, nodding to Mal. “You coming?”</p>
<p>The half-fairy’s smile was more a show of teeth than anything else. “You know it.”</p>
<p>They made short time cutting to the territory the Huns’ children were known to occupy, but Uma still beat them to the drop, her crew looking entirely satisfied as they walked away from the bruised and battered Hun children.  Harry was of course standing by his captain, his signature coat muddled with a dark, viscous liquid that completely ruined his dramatic flair. </p>
<p>Uma drew her people to a halt when she saw Chad and his minor crew.</p>
<p>He offered a polite nod. “Captain.”</p>
<p>“Volker,” she drawled back. “Think I can’t take care of my business?”</p>
<p>“It’s not only your business,” Chad countered with a lazy shrug. “But I see you already have things well in hand.”</p>
<p>“Damn right I do,” Uma snapped, throwing one last glare at Mal before she let her crew take off again. </p>
<p>Chad didn’t bother stopping them, or returning Gil’s cheerful wave.  There was no need to undermine what she’d done, and the perpetrators seemed to have learned their lesson.</p>
<p>“We gonna do anything?” Mal asked, fingering the pouch of poisons Chad had made for her especially.</p>
<p>Chad shook his head. “Deed’s done.  Let them feel grateful that Uma found them first.”</p>
<p>“It’s not a generosity we’ll extend twice,” Mal said, loud enough for it to carry to the Hun children, and they seemed to have the wherewithal to take the threat to heart.</p>
<p>“Alright,” Chad said, motioning to his crew. “Back to work, everyone.”</p>
<p>“But it’s not really done, is it?” Mal asked as she fell back in step with him.</p>
<p>Chad didn’t say anything, couldn’t afford to, out here.</p>
<p>But, as was becoming usual, Mal was correct.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Your highness,” Chad greeted, knocking on the door to Evie’s office despite the fact that it was already open.  She appreciated small extensions of manners like that. “May I have a moment?”</p>
<p>Evie looked up from the report she was writing with a grin. “Of course, Volker.  Would you like me to make you something?  Say, a red pirate coat?”</p>
<p>Chad did not bother hiding his sigh, because he knew it would make Evie smile wider. “…if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”</p>
<p>“I already have a few designs,” Evie said, pulling out her water-stained sketchpad and showing Chad her drawings. “I’ve got Dizzy going through our collected fabric samples now.  I should have something by the end of the week.”</p>
<p>“Make sure to use the Wharf Rats’ symbol,” Chad said. “There’s no need to further exacerbate our relationship with the pirates.”</p>
<p>“No,” Evie hummed. “Not when they’re so amusing, right?”</p>
<p>“Right,” Chad drawled, refusing to read into her implications, because no matter what anyone said, he didn’t actually <em>like</em> Harry Hook.  At least, not the way they seemed to think he did.</p>
<p>Still, he supposed the assumption could be useful, at least for a time.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Harry’s new coat stayed bundled in Chad’s satchel until he managed the time to swing down near the docks.  One of his passing scavenger patrols had already informed him that Harry wasn’t in the Chip Shoppe, which was what set Chad off to the Lost Revenge.  He decided, since he was <em>trying</em> to be polite, that he’d wait for the sentry to spot him instead of just swinging aboard the ship.</p>
<p>The girl perked up with a crow of laughter, getting the attention of two boys who were playing cards on the lower deck. “Are you here for Harry?”</p>
<p>“Yep.” At least she got straight to the point. “Is he in there?”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah,” she cackled. “Ay, Gonzo!  Go tell Harry ‘is lover boy’s here.”</p>
<p>“With <em>pleasure</em>,” one of the card playing teens pledged, and then he was scrambling below deck, the other two laughing in his wake.  Like most things on the Isle that were beneath ‘Volker’, Chad chose to ignore the girl’s comments, strolling up the gangplank about the same time Harry came crashing up from below deck.</p>
<p>“<em>Ye</em>,” he snarled, ruined coat hanging somewhat pathetically from his frame. “What the hell else do <em>ye</em> want?”</p>
<p>“Give me your coat,” Chad said calmly, didn’t react to the fresh spark of outrage he knew it would get him.</p>
<p>“Like <em>fuck</em> am I going to do that!” Harry snapped, the other teens tittering around them. “Ye already ruined this one-”</p>
<p>“I will wrestle it off you,” Chad informed him casually, a low threat that the first mate totally knew he could follow up on.</p>
<p>With a <em>growl</em>, Harry yanked off his coat, tossing it into Chad’s arms.</p>
<p>Chad caught it one handed, let it bundle against his side as he dug through his satchel.</p>
<p>“Ye lousy <em>fuck</em>,” Harry was muttering. “Ye stupid, useless-”</p>
<p>He cut himself off when Chad pressed the new coat into his twitching hands, the first mate just sort of staring at the red material dumbly while the other three catcalled around them.</p>
<p>“Coat to replace a coat,” Chad explained simply, emptying the effects from the old coat pockets so he could hand them over to Harry. “Had her highness make it for you.” He motioned towards the waist when Harry unfolded it. “Got a slot for you hook.”</p>
<p>Chad passed over the handful of items into Harry’s dumbfounded hands, pocketing the ring Gil had ‘lost’ weeks ago. </p>
<p>For a second there was silence, and then a furious rush of color dusted Harry’s cheeks. “This doesn’t mean anything.”</p>
<p>“Obviously,” Chad scoffed, bundling the ruined jacket into his satchel.  “Goodbye, Harry.” He nodded dismissively towards their audience. “Other pirates I don’t know.”</p>
<p>“Holy <em>shit</em>,” Gonzo wheezed, wiping tears from his face. “This is so good.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know if Uma will be angry or pleased,” the girl giggled. “Oh, <em>wow</em>.”</p>
<p>“Shut it, all of you!” Harry snarled as Chad made his exit, glad to have that debt repaid. “This <em>didn’t happen</em>!”</p>
<p>“It happened, alright!” The third teen cheered, and then the sounds of a scuffle kicked up, likely indicating some friendly wrestling or something.  Gil said they did that sometimes.</p>
<p>Whatever, it was all good.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Hey!” Gil cheered when Chad showed him his missing ring later, <em>this</em> time secured to a pretty chain he had collected from Carlos. “You found it!”</p>
<p>“Try not to lose it again,” Chad cautioned.  Never knew when certain first mates would get sticky fingers.</p>
<p>“Okay!” Gil chirped, and that was that. </p>
<p>Overall, not bad work for an afternoon.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First off – thank you guys so much for the outpouring of support and feedback!!! They are both greatly appreciated, I cannot express that enough ^_^</p>
<p>Story notes: </p>
<p>Unintentionally harassed Harry a lot this chapter – sorry not sorry, I guess ;P</p>
<p>Ms. Birdwell is a character from ‘Kronk’s New Groove’ who is not canonically evil, but for the sake of this story she got banished to the Isle.  Kako, her and Kronk’s son, was made up for the purpose of this story.  His name origin is Spanish, meaning ‘pure’, which I thought was fitting.</p>
<p>Ethel, Junior, Hedvig, Hagen, Ravenmoth, Dary, Gregor were entirely made up for the purposes of this story. </p>
<p>Dale is a minor villain from Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventures. </p>
<p>Cassim is from ‘Aladdin and the King of Thieves’ – an Aladdin sequel that went straight to VHS.</p>
<p>Morzenrath is from the Aladdin Animated series, and as his name is a mushed-up accumulation of two other guy’s names, I spitballed Ravenmoth from Morzenrath’s name.  It is entire nonsense that I made up solely for the purpose of this story.  Morzentrath is also technically labeled as the leader of ‘The Land of the Black Sands’, but I shortened the title for the sake of expediting things. </p>
<p>This particular version of Diaval is from the live action Maleficent movies.  Gerda is from the second movie, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.</p>
<p>The actor that plays Gil – Dylan Playfair – actually describes Gil as a giant golden retriever in one of the behind the scenes interviews, so it seemed appropriate to refer to it here. </p>
<p>Until next time :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Ties that Bind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING – for Dubious Consent, please see endnotes for more details.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chad waited on the ledge outside his office for the first sounds of boots scuffing against the floor and <em>then</em> he snuck back inside with practiced ease, catching Jay by complete surprise.  On a normal day, with fair warning, the thief would have likely been able to keep up easily, but today Chad was annoyed and didn’t feel like playing fair, so he had his rope looped around Jay’s wrists before the other teen was even aware of the situation.</p>
<p>Of course Jay didn’t give up without a fight, which Chad had expected.  He struggled and thrashed but Chad simply elbowed him in the stomach, kicked out his ankle until he fell down and tied his rope off to a nearby column.  While Jay struggled to sit up, Chad looped a different rope around one of his ankles and marched to the far side of the room, looping it around a different column and <em>pulling</em> until Jay was stretched out on the floor.  He tied it off to the sound of Jay’s snarls, relocking his office before making his way back to the thief’s side. </p>
<p>The free leg he caught easily, Jay attempting to kick him without any real leverage.  Jay’s snarling protest intensified when Chad pulled out yet another looped rope, setting it around <em>that</em> ankle before tying it off to yet a different column, leaving Jay’s legs spread wide and back trapped against the ground.</p>
<p>“I think it’s time we had a conversation, Jadir.” Chad took his time walking back to his trapped prey, crouching down in an easy movement that had the teen’s hackles raised. “Because as clever as you seem to think you are, I don’t actually <em>miss</em> when someone steals from me.”  He started rifling through Jay’s pockets, removing a collection of items that had gone missing over the past week.  Trinkets from the far rooms of the castle, some medical plants from LeFou’s garden.  Knickknacks from the children, some of Evie’s jewelry, a few of Carlos’ tools.  It was actually impressive how much Jay had managed to fit in his pockets. </p>
<p>“I didn’t steal from you,” Jay snapped, fighting against his bonds.</p>
<p>“You were literally <em>just</em> about to.” Chad moved lower, emptying out the pockets on the side of Jay’s legs. “That said, anyone who works under me is mine, so you have already stolen from me.”  To be thorough, Chad decided to take off Jay’s boots and well, and was less than surprised to find an assortment of old letter openers and cigarette holders. “Which presents a problem.”</p>
<p>He tossed Jay’s boots aside and decided to take off his hole-filled socks as well just to leave him off balance, and was surprised to find a few coins in there as well.</p>
<p>“Seriously?” he couldn’t help but ask, but he supposed if it made Jay feel more secure, that was mattered.  Unfortunately, that meant Chad was going to have to be a lot more diligent in patting Jay down.</p>
<p>“<em>Shut up</em>,” Jay hissed, still struggling. “You knew I was a thief before you hired me.”</p>
<p>“And I warned you what would happen if you stole from me.” Deciding to be a little vindictive, Chad started pulling the rings off Jay’s fingers, claiming his gloves and miscellaneous jewelry as recompense for this bullshit.  “Now I don’t particularly <em>want</em> to cripple you, because that would make you useless to me, but I can’t just ignore this.”</p>
<p>He was in the middle of searching for hidden pockets on the inside of Jay’s vest (there were a lot of them) when the knob to his office jangled, twisting in a futile effort for a moment before the familiar click of a lock being open came through. </p>
<p>A second later, Mal poked her head into the office.  “…what the hell?”</p>
<p>“Mal,” Chad sighed. “Come help me punish your dipshit friend.”</p>
<p>“He’s not my friend,” Mal said, but she stepped into the room as bidden, relocking the door behind her.</p>
<p>“Mal,” Chad corrected. “Come help me punish your dipshit.”</p>
<p>Beneath him, Jay spat curses. “That stuff’s not all from you, asshole,” he hissed. “I got those from other scores.”</p>
<p>“Well, now they’re mine because you’ve annoyed me.”</p>
<p>“Wow,” Mal muttered as she drew closer to the spectacle, Chad now feeling up Jay’s shirt. “This is some kinky shit, Volker.”</p>
<p>“It’s <em>effective</em>, is what it is,” Chad shot back.  The pile beside him had already grown larger than he’d expected. “Check under his hat, would you?”</p>
<p>“This was your go-to response?” Mal asked, obediently checking under Jay’s beanie and whistling at the pair of earrings she found beneath. “Can I keep these?”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Chad waved her off. “And this was the best way I could think of to reclaim the stolen property.  Certainly better than trying to hold him down.”</p>
<p>“Pretty sure he’d like it if you held him down,” Mal mused, and Chad wouldn’t have thought much of it if a flush hadn’t broken out over Jay’s cheeks.</p>
<p>Okay.  That was not a thing Chad was going to bother with.</p>
<p>“Think I’ve got most of his pockets,” Chad said, rucking up Jay’s shirt just to double check.  The torso beneath his hands shivered from the low temperature, but if Jay wanted to violate their terms of employment, he could deal with a little cold.       </p>
<p>“Did you check his underwear?” Mal asked, already moving to undo Jay’s belt. “Seems like he has shit everywhere.”</p>
<p>“Good point,” Chad conceded, moving to help Mal. </p>
<p>It wasn’t until they were easing Jay’s pants down his thighs that he realized the other teen seemed to be um- sexually affected by the transaction.</p>
<p>“<em>Wow</em>, Jay,” Mal whistled, cackling in amusement. “You like being tied up?”</p>
<p>“<em>Shut up</em>,” Jay hissed, cheeks a furious red.</p>
<p>“Maybe he just likes being submissive,” Chad said, trying to be practical and pat down Jay’s ratty boxers.  This was the first time he’d been overtly faced with things of a male sexual nature since he’d started his stay on the Isle.  It was the first time he’d been overtly faced with things of a male sexual nature since <em>then</em>- and part of him threatened to panic, but a fiercer part wanted to reclaim something that was natural, something that should be <em>his</em>, and refused to fall apart because of some random guy’s obvious arousal.</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Jay snapped. “It’s not like that.”</p>
<p>“Sure it is.” Mal traced a finger under his jaw, seeming intensely focused on his every response.  “Volker, did you find anything?”</p>
<p>“Not yet.” Chad heard Jay’s breath catch when he started easing down his underwear, exposing Jay’s apparent interest to the rest of the room.  With a task in mind, Chad ignored him, searching the inside of his boxers for more hidden pockets.  He found none. “He’s clear.”</p>
<p>“And <em>now</em> he needs to be punished,” Mal drawled, carding her fingers through Jay’s hair. “What were you thinking, Volker?”</p>
<p>“Frankly, I’m tempted to just leave him like this for a few hours,” Chad replied honestly, ignoring the way Jay swallowed down a whimper. “We could always see if someone wanted to have a good time with him, but…”</p>
<p>“But?” Mal quirked a brow.</p>
<p>“<em>But</em>, the goal of this is to avoid repeated behavior,” Chad said. “So I was thinking we could give a bit of a punishment <em>and</em> a reward.  A punishment, obviously, for being a little <em>shit</em>.” He pinched Jay’s hip and sort of reveled in the sharp gasp it earned him. “And a reward, because-” He leaned in close so he could murmur in Jay’s ear. “If Jadir <em>behaves</em> – keeps his sticky little fingers to himself – then we could give him a <em>treat</em>, couldn’t we?  After all, hard work should be rewarded.”</p>
<p>“Huh.” Mal had been watching Jay’s face as it got more and more flushed. “Catering to Jay’s hormones.  That’s actually sort of brilliant.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need you to <em>reward</em> me,” Jay huffed, even if he seemed into it.  “And it’s not like I can just stop stealing.”</p>
<p>“Why not?” Chad asked, pushing Jay’s shirt the rest of the way up his torso to reveal his heaving pectorals.  After a moment of consideration, he took one of Jay’s nipples between his fingers and started rubbing.</p>
<p>“I- <em>stop</em>,” Jay hissed, but the heat between his legs hadn’t flagged any. “My- my dad-”</p>
<p>“Is he a problem?” Chad motioned for Mal to toy with the other nipple, until Jay was shivering under their combined assault. “You know we could just kill him, right?  Could you take over his shop if we did?  Or train someone else to do it?”</p>
<p>“Um- what?” Jay was breathless and whining. “I- y-yes, I could, but- <em>ah</em>.” His hips shifted frustratingly against nothing. “W-Why would you do that for me?”</p>
<p>“Obviously it’s not out of the goodness of our hearts.” Chad rolled his eyes, redoubling his efforts. “We’d take a majority of the profits and funnel them into the crew, but you’d still get a distinct share of the business as well as all the other benefits my employees receive.”</p>
<p>“And a sex benefit, apparently,” Mal drawled, tugging viciously with her sharp nails. “Which is only available to a select few.”</p>
<p>“I like this,” Chad said, becoming distracted by plans for the future. “With a stable storefront we could get a secure line of income, maybe we could use it to take control of a few other shops – enough that we could drop the prices to something reasonable to get all the business from the petty criminals–”</p>
<p>“Woah there, slick,” Mal cut him off before he could get lost in planning. “One thing at a time.  First – Jay punishment.  And <em>then</em> he’s got to agree to our terms.”</p>
<p>“Well, he’s going to have to, isn’t he?” Chad asked. “Or else we can tell everyone how he gets off on having his nipples played with.”</p>
<p>“I <em>don’t-</em>” Jay cut off with an extended groan, but his hips didn’t lie, jutting into the air in a desperate bid for attention.</p>
<p>“You should bite them,” Chad offered, knowing how sharp Mal’s teeth could be. “I think he’d like that.”</p>
<p>“I would <em>also</em> like that,” Mal purred, and then she was leaning forward, taking one of the abused nubs into her mouth and <em>sucking</em>.</p>
<p>A choked cry spilled from Jay’s throat.</p>
<p>“Feel good?” Chad asked, carding a hand through his long hair. “Granted, right now you don’t have much choice, but going forward any potential… rewards could be catered more to your liking.”</p>
<p>“You can’t fuck us,” Mal said, pausing to bite at the firm muscle of his pectorals. “And Volker doesn’t like to be touched.”</p>
<p>“But we’re fine touching you,” Chad said, realizing Mal enjoyed asserting her power over her associate.</p>
<p>“F-Fuck,” Jay muttered. “Can you undo the ropes?”</p>
<p>“This is a punishment, Jadir,” Chad reminded him. “If anything I should pull your legs wider, see how flexible you are.” The warning caused Jay to shudder hard against the floor. “Would you like that?  Next time we could strip you down; tie you to Mal’s bed for proper doting.”</p>
<p>“Mal would like that,” the purple haired teen murmured appreciatively. “That all depends on whether Jay agrees to play with us or not.”</p>
<p>“I’ll- yeah, I’ll join you,” Jay gasped, his hips shifting pointedly. “But could you please-”</p>
<p>“We’ll get there,” Chad assured him.  “But first – punishment.”</p>
<p>He let his hand drift down Jay’s side, caressing him in a light touch that had him twitching.  Intrigued by the response, Chad did it again.  Apparently, Jay was ticklish.  This knowledge spurred Chad on to attack him in a new fashion, letting Mal tease his nipples while Chad stroked his side in relentless feather light movements.</p>
<p>“S-Stop,” Jay gasped, trying to shift away from his touch. “What- what are you doing?”</p>
<p>“He’s ticklish,” Chad declared, earning a confused look from Mal.  “It’s like- never mind, I’ll show you later.  Just do what I’m doing.”</p>
<p>“N-No, don’t-” Jay tried to protest, but he was laughing, laughing and moaning and shaking under Chad and Mal’s attention.  “F-Fuck, guys, <em>please-</em>”</p>
<p>“Tickles and nipples,” Chad mused. “Wouldn’t have thought they were your weak spots.”</p>
<p>“This is stupid and I love it,” Mal decided, and then in a show of courtesy she gave Jay’s neglected need one firm pump.</p>
<p>Immediately, Jay fell apart.</p>
<p>“Um- <em>fuck</em>,” Jay moaned while his hips shifted restlessly, making a firm mess of himself. </p>
<p>Mal teased him when he was finished, if only to coax out a few more shaky coos, Jay whining at the attention. </p>
<p>“We could him leave like this,” Mal drawled easily, tracing a finger up Jay’s side. “Let everyone see what Jay <em>really</em> likes.”</p>
<p>“We could,” Chad agreed, watching the way the thief trembled. “But he’s one of us, now.”  He passed a handkerchief over to Mal. “Could you get him cleaned up?”</p>
<p>“And what will you be doing?” she asked, though she accepted the cloth, moving to clear Jay’s chest with exaggerated care.</p>
<p>“Got a murder to plan,” he explained. “Think I’m gonna run some numbers by Evie.  I’ll bring the plans for your review later, if that’s acceptable.”</p>
<p>Mal considered this.  “It is.”</p>
<p>“Great.” Chad got up, collected the goods he had liberated from Jay and tossing them in his satchel. “You can do whatever you want with him, now.  And Jay-”</p>
<p>He stared at the flushed, mostly naked teen.</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah?” Jay managed.</p>
<p>“Are you going to steal from us again?”</p>
<p>“Fuck <em>no</em>,” Jay gasped, making Mal laugh.</p>
<p>“Glad to hear it.” Chad offered Mal a quick salute. “Try not to have too much fun.”</p>
<p>“You bring me the best presents,” Mal decided, and maybe that wasn’t exactly Chad’s intention, but Jay flushed and said nothing, so he supposed the thief was okay with that.</p>
<p>Alright then.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Evie, my dear.” Chad ducked into the princess’s office, grinning at the dichotomy of it, one side showing a multitude of ‘uniform’ designs and fabric piles while the other was strictly numbers and coordination. “I need someone who’s familiar with commerce and looking to take over a shop.  Have anyone in mind?”</p>
<p>“You finally decided to kill Jafar?” Evie asked, like this was always to be expected.  Chad supposed in a way it was. “Claudine Frollo – Judge Claude Frollo’s daughter – has been looking to get away from her dad.  She’s smart enough to learn how to run a store quickly but not combative enough to fight you or Jay on it.  And once the Junk Shop gets marked as yours, no one would try to stiff her.”</p>
<p>“You are forever a peach, your highness.” Chad grinned, offering her a quick bow. “Could you arrange a meeting with her as soon as possible?  I want to get her prepped and ready so we can have a seamless transition in management.”</p>
<p>“That’s a very nice way to say ‘murder’,” Evie mused, but she was smiling, so Chad figured it wasn’t exactly judgmental. “I’ll bring her here after school tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“Excellent.” Chad snagged her designated ‘visitors’ chair and dragged it closer to her desk, settling in. “Would you be interested in helping me hash out the Junk Shop’s new guidelines?  I feel like it can be run more efficiently in the long run.”</p>
<p>Evie, who forever reveled in things that catered to the intellect her mother so desperately wanted her to hide, <em>preened</em>. “I would love to, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Then let’s get to it.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They waited a few days to kill Jafar to ensure that Claudine met both Chad and Jay’s approval.  Evie hadn’t been lying about Claudine being a fast learner; the new shop keep had even offered a few suggestions that would benefit them in the long run.  It was nice to start building a future together.</p>
<p>Unlike Chad’s last few targets, Jafar had learned to trap his home in effort to ward off any enterprising young individuals that might want to remove his head from his body.  Unfortunately, Chad had the benefit of Jay – who disabled all the traps he knew about – and superior trapping knowledge, which allowed Chad to catch the few that Jay had missed.  In the end, killing Jafar was as anticlimactic as killing Cruella – just more business as usual.  Mal was even <em>whistling</em> as she painted their symbols onto the Junk Shop’s walls.</p>
<p>Jay was happy to stand by and watch Chad put his father’s head on a spike, wearing an expression of triumph similar to Carlos’ own when he realized Hell Hall was really <em>his</em>.</p>
<p>“I could get used to this view,” he murmured appreciatively.</p>
<p>Mal giggled. “I know the feeling.  I wave hello to dear old mom <em>every day</em>.”</p>
<p>“Hold onto that satisfaction when the flies start showing up,” Chad cautioned them, but otherwise said nothing.  It was just another conquest.</p>
<p>“Um…” A nervous but determined kid lingered nearby. “So, is the Junk Shop closed, or…”</p>
<p>“It’s under new management,” Chad explained, motioning him inside. “Go ahead and shop.” </p>
<p>“O-kay…” The kid said, but was desperate enough for his <em>whatever</em> that he had no problem scurrying inside, into Claudine’s waiting clutches.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>.” Both Chad and Jay looked up to see another teenager swaggering down the street, posture mixed with a level of cockiness Chad hadn’t seen since the likes of Jay’s first impression. “So you did away with Jafar too, did you?”</p>
<p>“Fuck off, Clay,” Mal drawled, not looking away from her art. “We don’t have time for second-rate wannabes.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you?” Clay replied in what was possibly the most cliché response ever. “Jay, you really signed on with this guy?”</p>
<p>“What can I say?” Jay smirked. “They’ve got good benefits.”</p>
<p>“Well.” Clay put on a show of thoughtful consideration. “I think I want in.”</p>
<p>“No,” Mal immediately said.</p>
<p>Clay kept talking as though he hadn’t heard her, likely because he’d practiced this monologue beforehand. “But I don’t want to be just an underling,” Clay decided. “I want to fight you for it.”</p>
<p>“Fight me… for my crew,” Chad surmised, subtly shifting his fingers in an effort to draw Clay’s attention to the fact they were covered in <em>dry blood</em>.</p>
<p>He did not seem to care. “Yeah,” he said, puffing up his chest. “Right here, right now.  I win, I get your crew.”</p>
<p>“It’s <em>our</em> crew,” Mal snapped.</p>
<p>“My half of the crew,” Chad corrected, giving Mal a nod. “And if I win, you and the guys you have waiting to jump me on the roof over there will belong to us.”</p>
<p>Before Clay could stumble out of his surprise, Chad shot off one of Evie’s concentrated knockout pellets towards the roof of the building across the street, then repeated the gesture to get the other five guys Clay had waiting on a different rooftop. </p>
<p>Mal loosed an appreciative whistle.</p>
<p>“Now,” Chad said, putting away his sling. “Would you like to use weapons or go straight to hand-to-hand combat?”</p>
<p>“Hand-to-hand,” Jay decided, brushing close enough to Clay to relieve him of a handful of knives. “Or are you too scared now that you don’t have your backup, Clay?”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Clay sputtered, readying his fists.  They had gathered a small crowd around them. “I’m ready.”</p>
<p>It took maybe ten seconds for Chad to get the other teen on the ground, Clay groaning under the furious and rapid assault.</p>
<p>“Tomorrow afternoon – Bargain Castle,” Chad said. “If I have to hunt you down, I’m taking heads.  Understand?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes…” Clay managed.</p>
<p>“Fuck <em>yes</em>,” Mal hissed. “I love aggressive recruitment tactics.”</p>
<p>“And I love winning,” Jay said, twirling one of his new knives.</p>
<p>“Get used to it,” Chad said, putting on a show for the few that were still lingering nearby. “Because we’re going to be doing it a lot.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Hey.” Mal sort of just… meandered into his room one evening, wearing her equivalent of pajamas, her hair pulled back in a loose braid. “I wanna sleep here tonight.”</p>
<p>Chad blinked up from his runework. “…you want my room?”</p>
<p>“With you <em>in it</em>, dipshit,” Mal snarled half-heartedly, flopping onto his bed like she owned it.  Which technically, she did. “We’re partners, right?  Partners share things, like beds.”</p>
<p>“That… I mean, sure.” She wasn’t <em>wrong</em>; Chad just didn’t know why she wanted to share a bed with him. “This isn’t like some kind of assassination attempt, is it?”</p>
<p>“What?” Mal shot him an offended look. “<em>No</em>.  You do all the boring stuff I don’t want to do.” </p>
<p>Another fair point.</p>
<p>“I’ll be honest,” Chad said, sorting his work in efficient movements and locking it in his desk drawer. “I’m not sure what you’re getting out of this.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ugh</em>.” Mal threw her head back in exasperation. “I want cuddles, you <em>nimrod</em>.”</p>
<p>“…oh.” Yes.  That made sense.</p>
<p>“Stupid boy,” Mal muttered, though she notably didn’t leave.</p>
<p>“Okay, let me just…” Chad got up and locked the door, and after a moment, he trapped it too.  After that he settled at the end of his bed, taking off his shoes after much deliberation.  He usually slept clothed.  It made him feel better.</p>
<p>“Dumbass,” Mal huffed. “Take off your coat.”</p>
<p>“Um…”</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” she sighed. “Do you actually sleep in that thing?”</p>
<p>“It cuts down on my response time if there’s an emergency.”</p>
<p>“And your efficiency is adorable,” Mal allowed. “But take it off so we can sleep.”</p>
<p>With a sigh, Chad followed her orders, pretending to ignore the way her eyes rolled when she realized he was wearing a long sleeve shirt underneath.</p>
<p>“You’re so boring,” she groaned, motioning for him to join her. “Now get in here and compliment me.”</p>
<p>“You want compliments too?”</p>
<p>Had she mentioned that before?  Chad thought he would have remembered that.</p>
<p>“Do I have to teach you everything?” Mal groaned. “<em>Yes</em>.  Here, I’ll start.  Volker, it was super sexy the way you put Clay down on his big dumb face.”</p>
<p>“T-Thank you.” Chad was glad for the mask that hid his blush, because he never considered himself <em>sexy</em> before. “Um- Mal.  I enjoy how feisty you are, like when you take Jay apart with your teeth alone.  It’s vicious.”</p>
<p>“See?” Mal grinned. “It’s like mini status reports.  Now-” She batted a hand against his shoulder. “Open your arms.”</p>
<p>Despite the number of times the two of them had ‘rewarded’ Jay, they’d never really… stayed like this.  It was sort of an unspoken rule, but Chad could admit he liked doing away with it.  This sort of reminded him of the few times he’d gotten to host Jane overnight, how their hours of trading magic theories and researching old kingdom histories would end up with them passed out next to each other on Chad’s bed, perfectly innocent, happy to simply bask in each other’s presence.  It was like that.</p>
<p>And he’d missed it.</p>
<p>“We’re going to do this at least once a week,” Mal decided, claiming his chest as a pillow. “Any objections?”</p>
<p>“None,” Chad said, glad it didn’t come out as a croak. “Motion carries.”</p>
<p>“<em>Nerd</em>,” Mal laughed, but she was smiling, and it was good. </p>
<p>Even on the Isle of the Lost, they found <em>good</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“I want in on your next meeting,” Evie declared after dinner one evening, when Mal, Chad, and Jay were about to head upstairs.</p>
<p>After a pause, Chad motioned for the other two to continue without him. “You go to all of our meetings, your highness.”</p>
<p>Evie’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink, though it was in anger, not flattery. “No I don’t.  You, Mal, and Jay always have meetings up in her room.”</p>
<p>It took Chad a second to remember that ‘meeting’ was actually code for ‘tease Jay’. “…those are <em>informal</em> meetings, your highness.  Nothing happens during them.  At least, nothing that we wouldn’t run by the other department heads.”</p>
<p>“Well, I want to <em>come</em>.” Evie put her foot down, literally, figuratively. </p>
<p>Behind her, Carlos – who had watched the entire exchange – raised his hand slowly. “I would also like to come.  And if it’s informal…”</p>
<p>Chad considered his options.</p>
<p>He supposed they’d been working under him long enough – certainly longer than <em>Jay</em> – to have earned the privilege. </p>
<p>“Fine,” he allowed. “But there are rules.”</p>
<p>“There’s rules for an informal meeting?” Carlos asked, his interest already peaked.</p>
<p>“Walk with me.” Chad motioned them to follow, knowing they needed to be somewhere a bit more private for the following discussion.  He took them in the long-abandoned lounge that was on the way to his and Mal’s bedrooms. “First and foremost – what happens in our informal meetings <em>stays</em> there.  It is an isolated – safe – space.  It doesn’t affect how we act out here, or how we treat each other.  As far as anyone’s concerned, it’s business as usual.”</p>
<p>“O..<em>kay</em>?” Carlos said, brows furrowing together. “What the hell do you do in these meetings?”</p>
<p>“Hang out informally,” Chad deadpanned. “Your highness?”</p>
<p>“…I accept your terms,” Evie decided.</p>
<p>“Alright.” Chad nodded. “Let me just give the other two a heads up.”</p>
<p>He led them down to Mal’s room, leaving them out in the corridor while he checked on the proceedings.  Predictably, Mal already had Jay shirtless and tied to the bed, nipping at his pectorals with a due diligence that made Jay tremble.</p>
<p>“Did you send them away?” Mal asked between bites.</p>
<p>“No,” Chad replied honestly. “They’re waiting out in the hallway.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay muttered, hips thrusting pointedly in the air. “V-Volker.”</p>
<p>“They’ll stay out there, if you don’t want company,” Chad assured him. “I’ll take them somewhere else and we can have an informal meeting of our own.” It was important for Jay to feel secure here, and for them to deliver on something that could be satisfying without crossing any lines. “I already told them anything that happens in here stays in here, doesn’t affect out there.  And if it did, there would be consequences.”</p>
<p>Jay whimpered. “Um- then.  Yeah.  I mean- did you tell them?”</p>
<p>“Thought I’d let it be a surprise,” Chad said, grinning at the moan it earned him.</p>
<p>“Trickster,” Mal muttered. “<em>Fine</em>, let them in.”</p>
<p>“As you were,” Chad said, leaving with a nod.</p>
<p>When he got back to the others they were still waiting with mild looks of annoyance (Evie) and palpable nervousness (Carlos).  Chad ushered them inside before locking the door behind them, almost running into their backs when he realized they’d been struck still with shock.</p>
<p>Deftly, Chad sidestepped them, motioning towards Mal’s couch. “Have a seat, if you like.”</p>
<p>“What,” Carlos deadpanned, like he couldn’t process what he was seeing. “This is your <em>meeting?</em>”</p>
<p>“Yep,” Mal drawled, sucking obnoxiously at one of Jay’s nipples. “We like to give Jay rewards for working so hard.”</p>
<p>“I- <em>we</em> work hard,” Carlos sputtered, face flushed. “Why don’t you- <em>you know</em>.”</p>
<p>“Didn’t think you’d want it,” Chad said, climbing onto the far side of the mattress before lying down beside Jay, reaching for his neglected nub. “We know what Jay likes.”</p>
<p>“You should have seen it,” Mal laughed. “He tried to steal from Volker and got tied up for his troubles while Volker riffled through his pockets.  Had to be real thorough checking too.  Got him to look through Jay’s underwear.”</p>
<p>Chad blinked while Jay moaned again. “I thought you wanted a comprehensive search.”</p>
<p>“I <em>did</em>,” Mal grinned before going back to licking at Jay’s nipple.</p>
<p>“Um.” Carlos seemed ready to pass out. “So… if we <em>did</em> want um- something like that…”</p>
<p>Chad shared a look with Mal. “I could help you.”</p>
<p>“What about me?” Evie asked, seeming to snap out of her stupor.</p>
<p>Chad cleared his throat. “So um… don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re a princess, so I’m not going to touch you.”</p>
<p>It was for the best in the long run.  If they ever did get off the Isle any of Evie’s sexual explorations here could be played off as irrelevant from any of the others, but off of the Isle Chad was a <em>prince</em>, a prince with a psychotic grandfather – who had likely either orchestrated or assisted with the deposition of Hanover’s previous heir.</p>
<p>Evie paused. “What.”</p>
<p>“You’re a <em>princess</em>.” Chad looked at Mal for backup, but she seemed equally confused. “She deserves better things.”</p>
<p>“There <em>are</em> no better things on the Isle,” Mal drawled, slouching away from the thief with a roll of her eyes. “She’d be waiting forever.”</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Chad allowed. “But I’m still not going to touch her.” He turned his attention back to Evie. “Not that you aren’t worth being um- touched.”</p>
<p>“Just not by you, you <em>loser</em>,” Mal scoffed. “Let me wrap this up, princess, and I’ll help you out.”</p>
<p>Evie seemed torn between leaving on principle and staying to see what could happen, and eventually settled for pouting on Mal’s couch, crossing her arms in a huff. </p>
<p>Chad sighed, looking at Mal. “You got this?”  </p>
<p>“This guy?” she asked, giving Jay’s nipple a furious <em>tweak</em> that had him groaning. “Yeah, I’m good.  Go forth and dote on the pup.”</p>
<p>“I’m not a <em>pup</em>,” Carlos snapped, but his ears were red, which meant part of him found it endearing. </p>
<p>Chad slid back off the bed. “Where would you like to do this?” he asked. “Bed or couch?”</p>
<p>“<em>Um</em>.” Now faced with the prospect of an <em>actual</em> reward, Carlos seemed to freeze up. “…Couch?”</p>
<p>“Would you like to be in my lap?”</p>
<p>Carlos nodded, blush darkening when Chad thought he couldn’t get any redder.  Chad settled down next to Evie, pulling Carlos up into his lap so he could get him properly situated, the young De Ville entirely awkward about the process.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Chad said when he was as settled as he could get. “The point of this is for me to do something you enjoy, so if you’re <em>not</em> enjoying something, I need to know.  Tell me, and I’ll stop, and we’ll try something else, okay?”</p>
<p>The pale teen gave a slow nod. “…okay.”</p>
<p>“Is there anything you’d like in particular?” Chad asked. “I’m only going to use my hands.”</p>
<p>“You could-” Carlos swallowed. “Um- touch me?”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad let his fingers rove slowly, tracing random patterns on Carlos’ torso, above his shirt.  He was careful in his search, diligent when caressing his sides before he finally pressed his palms flat against Carlos’ pectorals, feeling the young De Ville shudder in his grip.</p>
<p>“Could you-” Carlos tensed, as though he hadn’t meant to talk.</p>
<p>“Go on.” Chad squeezed his hips.  “Tell me.”</p>
<p>“My skin?” Carlos asked. “Could you- under my shirt.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad let his fingers sneak under the hem of Carlos’ shirt so he could pet that quivering torso, offering more pressure than before.  It was enough to leave Carlos shuddering in his grasp, legs flexing wildly with each deliberate brush. </p>
<p>It wasn’t long before Chad let his fingers settle on Carlos nipples, pinching and pulling at the pink nubs until he was openly groaning.</p>
<p>“Do you like that?” Chad asked, as though he needed to – the way Carlos arched against him was evidence enough. “Would you like Evie to help?”</p>
<p>That flush spilled down Carlos’ neck. “<em>Um</em>.”</p>
<p>“I can help,” Evie offered, seeming eager to do more than watch. “Carlos?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes.” He nodded, and Chad pulled his shirt up, exposing that pale chest for Evie’s perusal. </p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay moaned from the bed, and it seemed since Chad had left them Mal had switched sides so Jay had a better view of the couch.  She also had his pants pushed low, her hand settled firmly between his legs.</p>
<p>“Just like that,” Chad urged, watching Evie’s expression shift into one of optimal focus, like Carlos’ enjoyment was her number one priority.  With her dutiful attention, Chad felt comfortable leaving that line of teasing to her. </p>
<p>He refocused his own efforts on Carlos’ legs, letting his hands slide to the inside of Carlos’ thighs pointedly before slipping higher.</p>
<p>“Fuck,” Carlos gasped. “Fuck, fuck, fuck –<em> Volker</em>.”  </p>
<p>“No good?” Chad asked, pulling his hand away.</p>
<p>“<em>Very good</em>,” Carlos groaned. “Very- <em>please</em>.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” He let his hand slide between Carlos’ legs, cupping the firm bulge there. </p>
<p>“Oh,” Carlos began to chant. “Oh, I- oh-oh-oh-”</p>
<p>“He’s killing me,” Jay groaned. “You are <em>all</em> killing me.”</p>
<p>“Get used to it, big boy,” Mal cackled, moving her hand faster.  “You’re the one who wanted more <em>informal meetings</em>.”</p>
<p>“Would you like direct contact?” Chad asked, watching Carlos’ flush blossom from up close.</p>
<p>“I don’t-” Carlos shook his head. “I um- don’t want them to see.”</p>
<p>“There’s a way around that,” Chad said, and waited for Carlos to nod before he unbuckled the teen’s shorts, unzipping his fly just enough to slide a hand into his underwear.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Carlos crooned.  Evie seemed to have waited for that moment to start <em>biting</em> on his nipples, sucking and licking at them like Mal.  “I’m gonna- <em>guys</em>.”</p>
<p>“Hold on.” Chad pulled his hand away only to return with a handkerchief, wrapping it around Carlos before shifting his hand in deliberate strokes that drove him more and more wild.</p>
<p>“<em>Um</em>.” Carlos was shaking in their grip, legs spreading wide as he tried to rut into Chad’s hand. “It’s- I’m gonna.  <em>Evie</em>.”</p>
<p>“Let go,” she murmured against his chest, lipstick smeared all over his pectorals. “Let go for me.  Let go for Volker.”</p>
<p>It seemed to be all the permission he needed before Carlos was falling apart, shuddering through his arousal until he could only whine, hips giving a few last twitches before stopping altogether.</p>
<p>Across the room it was slightly more obvious that Jay had lost himself too, if his dazed expression was anything to go by. “<em>Fuck</em>.”</p>
<p>Carlos whimpered as Chad finished cleaning him up, withdrawing his hand and tossing the handkerchief aside as he finished re-righting the young De Ville’s clothing.</p>
<p>“Um…” Carlos blinked at him, overcome. “Do you need- um- <em>rewards</em>?”</p>
<p>“No man,” Jay replied with a gasp. “He never needs anything.  It’s fucking weird.”</p>
<p>“Alternatively, I have very good control,” Chad offered, rubbing carefully at Carlos’ nipples to ease some of the aches and pains away.</p>
<p>“Alright, Mr. <em>Control</em>,” Mal scoffed, sliding off the bed. “Come clean this dumb lug so I can take care of her royal highness.”</p>
<p>“Fair enough.” Chad carried Carlos over to the bed with him, setting him on the far side so he could pass out without worry, turning his attention on Jay.  Luckily, Jay was a frequently unknown variable, so Chad had taken to carrying multiple handkerchiefs around with him to deal with the Agraben’s messes.</p>
<p>He took his time cleaning Jay up, mostly because the thief was stuck watching Mal and Evie with a look of reverence, Mal crouched between the princess’s legs with a look of pure wickedness on her face.</p>
<p>“I thought this was intense with just the two of you,” he muttered, a familiar heat seeming to stir between his legs.</p>
<p>Carlos stretched to look around them. “Are they-?” He flushed. “Oh, <em>wow</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Jay sighed. “That sums it up nicely.”   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad ended up giving Jay another hand job because he was insatiable, and then, because Mal was <em>mean</em>, she stole Jay’s clothes so he would have to sleep next to Carlos naked, the young De Ville seeming content to cuddle all up in his business once unconscious.  Eventually, Mal settled Evie on Jay’s other side and stood back as though to admire their handiwork, sharing a high five with Chad.</p>
<p>“I could get used to this,” she decided.</p>
<p>Chad wondered if he could do the same.  Realized he’d likely have to, and felt okay with that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Endnotes:</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful feedback!!!  Honestly, I’m surprised how much you guys like this one, I was afraid it was going to be entirely self-indulgent on my part, so I’m glad you’re enjoying it!! </p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>Handkerchiefs.  A million handkerchiefs.  Just- a never ending supply.  It’s a running theme in this one, lol. </p>
<p>WARNING – So basically Jay’s a little shit during this chapter and ends up requiring some discipline from Volker.  This shifts into Mal and Chad pleasuring him, and while he initially struggles with it, he is obviously down for sexy times by the end of things.  Still, if this makes you squeamish, check for this line: </p>
<p>“I don’t need you to reward me,” Jay huffed, even if he seemed into it.  “And it’s not like I can just stop stealing.”</p>
<p>You can jump back in at this line: </p>
<p>‘Immediately, Jay fell apart.’</p>
<p>And sexy times will be over. </p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Pulling in to Shore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING – Dubious consent for one of the later scenes.  Please see endnotes for more details.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things changed after that, between the five of them.</p>
<p>It was to be expected – crossing this intimate boundary in an area of complete trust and safety could be a liberating experience, and if anything, it seemed to make all of them closer.  Now that Carlos had seen Jay in a vulnerable state, had gotten to cuddle next to the guy that had formerly harassed and stolen from him, he seemed more at ease with the thief’s presence.  Likewise, Jay seemed mildly in awe of Carlos, likely hypnotized by his inexperience the same way he was taken by Mal’s forceful leadership. </p>
<p>Evie, who had been slowly but carefully coming into her own between the school and planning sessions and being free of her mother’s toxic presence, thrived in being allowed this closeness with the others.  Naturally, she tended to stick with Carlos the most, pulling him aside for quiet moments where they could trade kisses, Carlos always flustered under her attention.  Jay she was more wary of, but the thief seemed to understand that if he wanted any of her attention, he would have to earn it through respect, would have to <em>submit</em>, which Jay was eager to do if it got her to touch him. </p>
<p>Mal, of course, reveled in getting other playthings.  While she would forever deny it, she had grown fond of Carlos, and being allowed the opportunity to spoil him was something she considered a treat.  Evie had been Carlos’ associate by extension, and Mal had always been attracted to her – though that she denied as well.  Mal wouldn’t submit to Evie, but she was always ‘honored’ to reward the princess for her hard work, and there had been a couple occasions where Chad had stopped by Evie’s office only to find Mal with a hand up Evie’s skirt, the princess moaning and shifting eagerly onto her fingers. </p>
<p>Carlos didn’t seem to know what to do with Mal, though he seemed incapable of saying no to her, so much so that Chad had taken him aside to have a clear defined conversation regarding consent that Carlos had horrifically flushed through.  It turned out that Carlos had possessed a crush on Mal for <em>years</em> that he’d deemed as hopeless, and things had only gotten worse when she’d started interacting with him on a regular basis.  Of course, Carlos didn’t use the word ‘crush’, because such harmless things didn’t exist on the Isle, but that was the closest approximation Chad had.</p>
<p>It took a few weeks before Chad was really able to discern the emotional ramifications of this development on him.  The things he shared with Mal and Jay – that had been a bit like reclaiming a natural territory that had been stolen from him.  And granted, he didn’t even know if he was capable of getting aroused anymore, but being able to satisfy <em>them</em> made Chad bask in a sort of satisfaction he couldn’t really explain.  Which was weird as far as Jay was concerned, because Chad didn’t really <em>know</em> him as well as the others.  As far as first impressions went, Jay’s had been the worst, because he’d tormented Carlos (who Chad liked) <em>and</em> tried to steal from Chad. </p>
<p>And yet, somehow, Chad wasn’t bothered by working a hand between the thief’s legs.  Chad had done it and he hadn’t even had an episode or a panic attack – and maybe <em>that</em> was what made him okay with it.  Jay had, unwittingly, helped Chad find a mild return to normality.  And it helped that Mal seemed to have a soft spot for him, and Chad was beginning to find it difficult to deny Mal anything, when for all her rough edges she cared after their recruits just as strongly as Chad did.    </p>
<p>So ultimately, Chad decided it was fine.  He was glad Evie was getting positive and safe attention.  He was happy to dote on Carlos, so long as he wanted it.  He was happy to open these avenues of affection that had previously been closed between the other four.  As long as they maintained open paths of communication (which Chad stressed on a regular basis) and followed the rules (which he and <em>Mal</em>, beautifully enough, also stressed), then everything should be relatively fine.  They may even come out stronger for it.</p>
<p>Which was sort of a miraculous thing, if you thought about it.</p>
<p>Chad tried not to get too attached, but-</p>
<p>It was nice. </p>
<p>Strange, that it would take coming to the Isle for him to find something close to resembling strong friendships, but he wasn’t going to spit in the face of that now.  The others were far more than just the place they lived.  They were fierce and smart and stubborn – which were all admirable qualities.  It made sense that Chad was fond of them.</p>
<p>Granted, if they ever found out he was a prince, that would likely all change, but until that day he would appreciate what he had. </p>
<p>That was what you did on the Isle.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The best word Chad could use to describe Carlos’ disposition was ‘unsettled’, the mechanic not quite looking at him after they wrapped up their weekly update, Chad tucking away a list of items for Jay to procure during the next barge day. </p>
<p>As Chad hadn’t witnessed this behavior since Carlos had asked him to kill his mom, he was immediately suspicious.</p>
<p>“Something wrong?” he asked, a vague probe that would hopefully not come off as threatening.</p>
<p>Carlos twitched. “Um- <em>no</em>,” he settled on. “But I was- um, thinking.  Could you recheck the traps at Hell Hall after dinner tonight?”</p>
<p>Carlos had moved back into the dilapidated mansion after Chad’s power base had grown.  Chad himself had nothing to do with the move, hadn’t encouraged it because Carlos seemed content at the Lodge, but Hell Hall <em>was</em> his own space, and if that was where he wanted to be, Chad wasn’t going to critique it.</p>
<p>“Is someone bothering you?”</p>
<p>Carlos was usually good about informing Evie of that kind of shit when he was too nervous to approach Mal or Chad, likely because he felt like he was causing unnecessary trouble.</p>
<p>“No.” Carlos’ head jerked with a quick shake. “Just- you know, it doesn’t hurt to check, right?  And I um- don’t like beartraps.”</p>
<p>Because he’d grown up under the threat of them.  Right.</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad saw no reason why he couldn’t, but made a note to inform Mal of this later, in the instance that Carlos was setting some grand trap of his own.  Chad didn’t think so, but it never hurt to be careful.  “I’ll walk you home after dinner then.”</p>
<p>At last, Carlos gave him something that was close to a smile. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Chad departed Carlos’ claimed workshop space and went to go find Mal to inform her of the change.  Better to be safe than sorry.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Mal was patient enough to wait for him to retell the story in its entirety before she started laughing at him. “He wants a reward, dipshit.”</p>
<p>“That-” Chad frowned. “Are you sure?”</p>
<p>“Trust me,” Mal drawled. “It is far more likely that he wants to get you alone for some intimate <em>reward</em> time rather than the prospect of him like, being blackmailed to lure you to Hell Hall to your untimely demise.  But hey, if you want me to double check, I could get Evie to ask him.  She’d probably do it for you.”</p>
<p>“No point in stirring up the idea of distrust if we don’t have to.” Chad waved her off. “But seriously?”</p>
<p>“<em>Seriously</em>.” Mal rolled her eyes. “He’s gonna have you check the traps, and then it’s going to be <em>late</em> and since you’re there anyway maybe you can just cuddle in his bed, except he’ll ask you with those big puppy eyes he gets sometimes that you never say no to.”</p>
<p>“Carlos barely asks for anything,” Chad pointed out.</p>
<p>“Which is what makes him such a devious <em>shit</em>.” Mal seemed more proud of this than annoyed, though as far as Chad could tell, Carlos’ tendencies to keep to himself was a symptom of Cruella’s abuse more than anything else. “Go.  <em>Check his traps</em> and play with those cute little nipples for me.  I want a full rundown of it tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“Not everything’s about sex, Mal,” Chad felt the need to point out.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but <em>this</em> is,” Mal cackled. “Seriously, let me know how it goes.  I need something to taunt Jay with.”</p>
<p>“Fine.” It was a small thing but it made Mal happy. “I’ll see you at dinner.”</p>
<p>“<em>Check the traps</em>,” Mal giggled to herself, likely going off to find Evie.</p>
<p>These people.</p>
<p>But still, Chad found he wouldn’t trade them for anything. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The traps around Hell Hall were entirely undisturbed since the last time Chad checked them (he’d gotten a few goblins when he’d first set them up, but they’d diminished over time as he added more heads to the fence).  Like Mal said, it was late by the time Chad was finished, and though he was used to traversing the Isle in the early hours of the morning, Carlos seemed reluctant to let him leave.</p>
<p>“You could stay the night, if you wanted.” Carlos twisted his hands together, gaze fixed to the floor. “We could- I mean, if you wanted-”</p>
<p>“Would you like a reward, Carlos?”</p>
<p>Carlos’ cheeks darkened with a light flush. “Y-Yes, please.”</p>
<p>“Then lead the way.”</p>
<p>Chad wasn’t as familiar with the layout of Hell Hall – the derelict mansion a conglomeration of twisting hallways and cramped rooms.  Eventually though, Carlos led them to what seemed to be a neglected area of the mansion, seeming stripped of any trinkets or decoration that would give it a hint of personality.  Maybe they were servants’ quarters?  The room Carlos led them to had no unnecessary features – merely a large bed with blankets piled on top of it, likely harvested from the rest of the house, and a trunk and dresser. </p>
<p>When the mechanic hesitated, Chad tilted his head towards the bed to prompt him into action.  Carlos moved with a nervous sort of hitch, perching on the edge of the bed for a moment before lying down, a furious blush dusting his freckled cheeks. </p>
<p>Chad wasted no time boxing him against the mattress, nuzzling his throat with mask-covered kisses before letting his fingers slide under the hem of his shirt. </p>
<p>“<em>Oh</em>.” Carlos was always so responsive to their offered attentions and this was no different, the slight teen twitching and flexing as Chad ran his hands up his sides, grazed past his pectorals, tickled the sensitive skin just above his waistband until Carlos was a whimpering mess. “V-Volker,” he moaned, legs shifting restlessly. “Your um- thigh.  Can I…?”</p>
<p>“Sure, pup.” Chad angled his thigh so that it was between Carlos’ legs, grinding down pointedly on that growing interest until Carlos moaned. </p>
<p>He shoved a hand against his mouth as though embarrassed by his response. </p>
<p>“Is this okay?” Chad asked, letting his hands settle on Carlos’ hips. “Do you need me to stop?”</p>
<p>Carlos shook his head frantically, mumbling behind the safety of his fingers. “N-No.  It’s good, please-”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad guided him carefully so that he had the best angle for contact, grinding Carlos against his leg with varying degrees of pressure.  He found his grip sliding to Carlos’ low back, shifting lower until he could squeeze at the firm muscle of his rear.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” Carlos whined, chest heaving.</p>
<p>“Do you like this?” Chad asked, giving him a pointed squeeze.</p>
<p>The responding shudder of Carlos’ hips told him everything he needed to know. </p>
<p>“Come on, pup,” Chad coaxed, shifting Carlos faster. “You ready to let go?”</p>
<p>“I’m gonna-” Carlos gasped. “It’s- I’m gonna- <em>Volker-</em>”</p>
<p>“That’s it,” Chad soothed. “Just like that.  Just like this.”</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Carlos to completely fall apart, the slight teen rutting against Chad’s thigh with a broken moan until he was undone, chest heaving and lips flushed from the effort. </p>
<p>Chad set him down carefully, nuzzling against his stomach while he undid Carlos’s shorts, dragging them down with his underwear so Chad could properly clean him off. </p>
<p>Carlos whined under the attention as he did so, shy and embarrassed for Chad to see him so bare.  Comparatively, he was much smaller than Jay, though that was to be expected.  Chad wondered if that was what made him so reluctant to expose himself in front of the others.  </p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Chad assured him, cleaning him gentle, efficient movements. “You’re fine.”</p>
<p>“Don’t- don’t tell Mal,” Carlos pressed, looking at him with worried eyes. “Or Jay.  Or- anyone.”</p>
<p>“I won’t.” Chad squeezed his hip carefully. “Safe space, remember?”  He pressed another mask-covered kiss to Carlos’ bare hip in an effort to calm him. “Want me to run you a bath?”</p>
<p>“You… you don’t have to.” Carlos hated asking for things, which made Chad wonder exactly how desperate he was when he approached Chad to deal with his mother.</p>
<p>“I’d like to.” Chad grabbed one of the blankets so he could cover Carlos before setting his attention to the other teen’s boots. “Taking care of you is part of your reward, if you want it.” He tugged the boots off and set them aside with Carlos’ socks, easing off his shorts and underwear the rest of the way.  He paused when he realized Carlos was shaking – contained quakes that had nothing to do with arousal.</p>
<p>“No one takes care of me,” Carlos whispered, fingers clutching at the fabric of the blanket.  “N-No one-”</p>
<p>“<em>I</em> do.” Chad squeezed his calf carefully, doing his best to stay non-threatening. “You’re mine, Carlos.  And I take care of what’s mine.”</p>
<p>Carlos swallowed, and belatedly Chad realized he was fighting back tears, his lashes fluttering wildly to keep them at bay. </p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” He climbed up the bed, lying down beside Carlos who immediately curled into his side, clutching to him. “Carlos-”</p>
<p>“I <em>hate</em> it here,” Carlos gasped, mumbling against Chad’s chest. “I <em>hate</em> it.  She’s gone but everywhere there’s- <em>her</em>.  And you gave it to me- I’m grateful, please don’t think I’m not, but-”</p>
<p>“Hey, slow down.” Chad wrapped an arm around him and started rubbing small circles on his back. “Do you want to stay at Bargain Castle?”</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>.” Carlos nodded. “It feels like home, there.  I never thought a place could feel like home but with Mal and Evie and Jay-”</p>
<p>“Then that’s your home,” Chad declared. “You’re ours, Carlos, and we want you to be happy.”</p>
<p>“Because happy workers work harder,” Carlos mumbled.</p>
<p>“No,” Chad sighed. “Because you’re <em>ours</em>.  You already work twice as hard as everyone else, there’s no reason you should live somewhere that makes you actively unhappy.”</p>
<p>“It’s so empty,” he gasped. “I hoped for <em>years</em> that one day she’d leave- that it’d be just me in this house but now that it is, it just feels like a tomb.  And everywhere I look she’s there and I <em>hate her</em>.”</p>
<p>“Never again,” Chad pledged. “You don’t have to come back to this place ever again Carlos, I promise.  We’ll take what you need, lock up what you hate and leave this place behind.”</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>,” Carlos repeated. “Please.  That’s what I want.  You got Evie away from her mom but even though mine’s dead she’s just- here.  Taunting me.” </p>
<p>“Is this why you take naps in Evie’s room?” So many things made sense now.  “Can you get <em>any</em> sleep here?”</p>
<p>Carlos shrugged. “Sometimes.” </p>
<p>Fuck. “We can leave tonight, if you want.  We can get you packed and leave as soon as you’re ready.”</p>
<p>“Not, it’s-” Carlos shook his head. “It’s not bad, with you here.  That’s actually why I asked you to check the traps.  Not because I wanted an- um- reward.”</p>
<p>“Did you…” Chad swallowed. “Did you even enjoy that?”</p>
<p>Carlos blinked up at him with wet eyes. “I did.  Yes, Volker just-” He flushed. “I hadn’t expected it.”</p>
<p>Okay.  Good, that was one thing he didn’t have to worry about.</p>
<p>“I’m going to run you a bath,” he decided. “I’m going to take care of you and in the morning we’ll pack everything up.”</p>
<p>“Will you… will you leave the traps up?”</p>
<p>“We can.” Chad nodded. “I’ll keep checking on them too.  This property is yours, but you don’t have to worry about seeing it ever again.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” That seemed to settle something within Carlos. “…thank you, Volker.”</p>
<p>Chad pressed his masked lips to Carlos’ messy hair. “You’re welcome, Carlos.”</p>
<p>It was going to be okay.  At the very least, Chad was going to <em>make</em> it be okay.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Carlos was embarrassed by being seen naked, though he seemed to revel in the way Chad helped him wash up.  As per Mal’s instructions, Chad was extra thorough with Carlos’ nipples, caressing and tweaking until his hand was settled between the mechanic’s legs, letting him fall apart all over again.  Chad dried him off and dressed him in what seemed to be some of Jay’s spare clothes (when asked how they arrived there, Carlos didn’t have a coherent answer) before tucking the two of them into bed.</p>
<p>“Evie’s right,” Carlos mumbled before he drifted off into sleep. “You really are a knight in shining armor.”</p>
<p>“Lies and exaggeration,” Chad murmured, though Carlos didn’t seem to hear him, already unconscious.</p>
<p>The next day they got up early, packing up a single bag to take with them.  It turned out that Carlos had been sneaking things over to Bargain Castle for weeks now, hiding them between his lab and a set of attics nobody visited that he tended to crash in sometimes instead of returning to Hell Hall. </p>
<p>He kept talking before Chad could do something like apologize (it should have never come down to that), saying that Chad could do whatever he wanted with the rest of the house’s effects.  He didn’t care. </p>
<p>Carlos left Hell Hall with a lighter step, seeming to grin into the soft light of the early morning, grateful to leave that painful mark of history behind him.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Is he finally staying here now?” Mal asked as they watched Carlos lay claim to his new room – down the hall from Evie’s and a short walk from his workshop.</p>
<p>“He handed Hell Hall over to our control,” Chad said by way of answer. “We can go over plans for it later.”  He paused, a small curiosity picking at his brain. “Mal, do you have any bad feelings about staying here?”</p>
<p>“Here?” Mal echoed. “You mean in the castle?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Chad tilted his head towards Carlos who seemed lost in his own world. “Hell Hall – there were a lot of bad memories for him there.”</p>
<p>“Because Cruella was <em>insane</em>,” Mal muttered, crossing her arms angrily. “Batshit crazy and abusive.  My mom-” She twisted her lips in an unhappy frown. “She didn’t pay enough attention to me to hurt me.  I like what we’re doing now.  It’s like I’m reclaiming it – spitting in the face of all her stupid <em>plans</em>.”</p>
<p>A slight tension eased from Chad’s shoulders. “I’m glad that you’re happy.”</p>
<p>Mal laughed. “From you, I actually believe that.”</p>
<p>“Don’t get too used to it,” Chad cautioned, turning to leave.  Before he did, he leaned towards her. “He likes having his butt squeezed.”</p>
<p>Mal’s face split in a delighted grin. “<em>Does</em> he now?” She stalked into the room with a cackle, closing the door behind her.  A second later there was a surprised yelp followed by a moan, and Chad decided to leave them to it. </p>
<p>Sometimes, it was the little things.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Winter came with a rash of recruitment that made everyone uneasy.  Chad tried not to turn anyone away, calculating and re-inventorying all the food they had on hand – what they could collect, what they could farm.  There was only so much his runes could do to speed the production of the greenhouses without raising suspicion, but they made it work.  The orphans that had been too scared to join him at first trickled in with wide eyes, shivering and mostly skin and bones.   They were unused to structure and receiving regular attention – from the teachers or any of Hermie’s managers, and often Chad would stumble upon one curled up in a far corner, weeping with happiness as they clutched some small token (food, a new shirt, a toy Kronk had fashioned) to their chest. </p>
<p>It was this influx of new children that motivated a few changes within Bargain Castle, the first of which being a rash of adoptions.  With the children had come a few desperate beggars – men and women who had committed petty crimes in the outer kingdoms.  They’d fallen behind on debt payments or had the indecency of having magic-graced blood in Auroria or Ulstead (where both were unwelcomed).  By some miracle they had not yet been killed by the Isle, but winters were harsh, and as such, they begged for Chad and Mal’s protection. </p>
<p>Chad gave it to them in exchange for their work – some utilizing skills they had long since forgotten from their days back in Auradon – baking and sewing, some making nets or helping with the school and paperwork.  Chad had worried about the influx of adults, but for all their pains, they seemed to have a positive influence on the kids, and more often than not he’d see a few children cling to a particular widow or couple. </p>
<p>Still, it was a surprise when he was first approached by one of the lone women and asked if she could take in two of the orphans into her own suite, if she could be labeled their guardian, and with a skeptical approval from Mal, Chad made it happen.</p>
<p>It was worth it, to see the smiles on their faces and the tears in their eyes when Mal and Chad signed the paperwork Evie had constructed to formalize the arrangement.  A rash of new families appeared after that, making Chad realize that a lot of the Isle ‘lesser folk’ were people that had fallen on hard times after losing a loved one, that had lost control of their lives after losing a child or husband and had been unable to recover by ‘Auradon’ standards.  Enough time had passed that they could move on, and Chad was grateful he could help the process, grateful that the kids could get the personalized attention they deserved.</p>
<p>Still, Chad had Cassim design an entirely new class to inform the kids on how to recognize abuse from their guardians and from their lovers (that was mostly for the older kids), as well as recognizing the symptoms in their friends because like <em>fuck</em> was Chad going to create a situation where things could get worse for them under his own roof.</p>
<p>Mal had cuddled him quite aggressively the night of that meeting, never saying a word as to why, and Chad had never pressed the issue, clinging back just as hard.</p>
<p>In addition to the adults and the orphans, they’d also recruited a few more VKs.  There were enough with high positions in unguarded shops in the marketplace that they were finally able to put together a guild specifically designed to handle the economic functions of the army.  These were the children of the more ‘noble’ villains, including Rick Ratcliffe – the son of Governor Ratcliffe, Celia and Freddy Facilier – daughters of the shadow man himself, who ran a profitable fortune telling stall, Ace – son of the Queen of Hearts, who seemed to be delightfully unbalanced but could manage to run Gaston’s closed dueling shop to surprising success.  There was Edwin Balthazar, son of an attempted cat-napper, who possessed a steady eye for detail that catered well to both Chad and Evie’s organizational sensibilities.</p>
<p>There was Yzla, daughter of Yzma, a practiced alchemist that was immediately snatched up by Evie and Maddie – Evie, who Chad regularly had to meet with to get her to <em>delegate</em> – between running the school and organizing the seamstresses and apparently sneaking into the alchemy lab to take up her mother’s trade.  For Evie, Chad had to recruit a series of assistants that Mal forever laughed at him for, catering to the needs of ‘<em>his princess</em>’ and laughed harder if she caught the barest hint of a blush, which there always was, because Evie wasn’t <em>his</em> – she wasn’t anyone’s, but especially not Chad’s. </p>
<p>The final addition to the Market Guild – run by Jay with Claudine acting as his second – was a name Chad had been subconsciously avoiding during his stay on the Isle. </p>
<p>It was his cousin – Dizzy Tremaine.  Dizzy was in charge of running the Isle’s most profitable beauty salon, and fell under the unfortunate umbrella of constantly losing her protectors because Chad kept killing them all.  On accident, of course, how was he supposed to know the shop had been under Don Carnage’s protection?  Or Gaston’s? </p>
<p>Dizzy had eagerly given in when she saw which way the wind was blowing and threw her lot in with Mal and Chad instead of going to Uma, on account of her apparent devotion to Evie.  Chad had been half tempted to turn her away, but Evie had gone on about the young girl, who apparently was the sweetest person ever, and Chad had been doomed from the start.      </p>
<p>“Yes,” Mal had cackled after they’d added the salon to their list of businesses that needed to be tagged and patrolled. “Uma’s going to be <em>pissed</em>.”</p>
<p>“And also we get more money now,” Chad reminded her.</p>
<p>Mal laughed again. “That too.”</p>
<p>With the bitter chill of winter drifting in, it was important to hold onto the little things. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Why do we care about this?” Mal asked with a huff, slumping across the war room table with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.</p>
<p>“Because knowledge is power,” Chad said, nodding at the questions Evie had added to the survey they intended to give all new recruits. </p>
<p>Mostly, this was a long-term plan intended to help in the instance that Chad actually managed to get his slowly growing army off of the Isle.  They needed <em>records</em>, which on the Isle were completely indulgent but in Auradon would save them a lot of time and effort.</p>
<p>“Add the date of birth on there too,” Chad decided, motioning to a blank spot that would round off the template before he sent it up to Cassim for the literature class to make copies of it. “Most probably won’t know, but the few that do will help give us more complete figures.”</p>
<p>“Birthdays,” Mal huffed, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. “Who even cares about them?”</p>
<p>“Who even cares about what?” Carlos asked, strolling into the meeting with his latest supply list.  The greenhouse generators and incubator had been coming along well, now they were in the process of making heaters for the castle in preparation for the worst of winter’s chill.</p>
<p>“Birthdays,” Chad said, giving his approval signature at Evie’s prompting.  “Do you know when yours is?”</p>
<p>“Uh…” Carlos furrowed his brows. “…in a few days, I think?  What does it matter?”</p>
<p>Chad straightened up. “Your birthday’s in a few days?”</p>
<p>“That <em>is</em> what he said,” Mal drawled, narrowing her gaze at Chad with a renewed sort of interest.</p>
<p>Carlos shifted his weight awkwardly. “…yeah?”</p>
<p>The other three didn’t say anything.</p>
<p>“Well,” Chad prompted, motioning Carlos on. “Is there anything you want?”</p>
<p>The young De Ville stared at him, then tentatively held up his supply list.</p>
<p>Chad did not sigh. “For your birthday, I mean.  Something recreational and frivolous.”</p>
<p>“Why, though?” Mal asked, not seeming to understand the correlation.</p>
<p>“Because Carlos survived another year,” Chad settled on. “He’s our head engineer, he works hard – ergo, he deserves something recreational and frivolous on his birthday, assuming he wants it.” Chad turned to face the young inventor, who just sort of looked lost in a way that made Chad’s heart hurt. “So?  Would you like a um… day off?  Or, I dunno, a certain kind of reward-”</p>
<p>“That one,” Carlos said immediately, his cheeks heating in a brilliant flush when Mal cackled at his excitement.</p>
<p>Chad dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “Ignore her.  We can do a special reward, assuming everyone’s comfortable with it.  What did you have in mind?”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“I love it,” Mal giggled when she watched Chad finish making his preparations. “I love how confused you are by all this.”</p>
<p>“I’m not confused,” Chad defended for the tenth time, adjusting the red coat Evie had scavenged for him just for this event before squinting at the makeup smeared around his eyes.  Yep, that was eyeliner.  He guessed it was sexy?  He didn’t know. “Carlos has a specific scene in mind and now we’re going to help satisfy him.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but this totally wasn’t what you had in mind when you offered him a <em>reward</em>,” Mal cackled, trailing off with a dreamy sigh. “For such a quiet guy, he sure knows what he wants.  I love it.”</p>
<p>Before Chad could reply, Evie stepped out of Carlos’ bedroom, giving Chad an appreciative once over before high fiving Mal. “He’s ready for you,” she explained with a cheerful grin. “We’ll be out here if you need us.”</p>
<p>“I appreciate that,” Chad lied, knowing full well they were only lingering nearby for the sake of eavesdropping on Chad’s attempts to satisfy Carlos’ request. </p>
<p>Not that he blamed them, something like this provided a level of entertainment that would not be easy for them to derive anywhere else, but <em>still</em>. </p>
<p>Before Chad could lose his nerve, he tried to shift his posture into the flirtatious sort of slouch Harry managed whenever he was chatting people up on the docks, pointedly ignoring the way Mal and Evie’s smiles got wider. </p>
<p>Whatever, this was about Carlos.  <em>Carlos</em>. </p>
<p>Chad pushed the door open with a sway of his hips, lazily shutting it behind him as he kept his gaze fixed to the visage waiting for him on the bed.  It was a repeat of how Chad had found Carlos after his initial kidnapping, the young teen clean and shaven, clad in nicer lingerie (courtesy of Evie) with his hands tied above his head.  Evie had even gone so far as to give Carlos a little makeup, making the pretty flush already dusting his cheeks that much more prominent.</p>
<p>“Hello, <em>lovely</em>,” Chad drawled, doing his best imitation of Harry’s Dun Broch accent. “I’ll be honest, when Strombolli said he had a new show, I didn’t think it would be quite as phenomenal as <em>this</em>.”</p>
<p>On the bed, Carlos shivered, his legs parting in a reflexive beckon that would likely have Harry smirking.  Chad did the same, even though his mask hid it, hoping it would come through in his gaze.</p>
<p>“Are ye eager, my pet?” Chad asked, crawling up the foot of the bed so he could run his hands up the inside of Carlos’ legs, playing with the silky material of his stockings before toying with the sensitive flesh of Carlos’ inner thigh. “I can hardly restrain myself from a lovely thing like you.” Chad bent low, made an effort to nuzzle Carlos’ groin, which was already beginning to strain against the delicate material of his panties. “Captain says it’s your birthday, but I’m pretty sure it’s mine,” he drawled, toying with the edge of Carlos’ panties and watching the way the inventor’s breath hitched. “Seeing as I get to unwrap such a nice present.”</p>
<p>“…<em>Harry</em>,” Carlos gasped, voice barely audible as his hips shifted into Chad’s touch. “Could- could you-?”</p>
<p>“I’d give ye the moon if ye’d let me,” Chad soothed, running his hands up Carlos’ trembling abdomen in a slow sort of pet that ended at his bralette. “Just, one more thing.”</p>
<p>Carlos tensed when Chad diverted from the scenario, though he was pretty sure the engineer would like this surprise.  At the very least, they’d thoroughly reviewed safe words and color signals, and Chad trusted Carlos to communicate with him should this veer off in a direction he didn’t like.</p>
<p>Slowly, Chad pulled out the band of material he had hidden in his pocket. “If ye close your eyes, I can do a bit more for ye, darlin’.”</p>
<p>Carlos’ breath caught, his pupils seeming to dilate as his chest heaved. “Y-Yes, that’s- that’s good.”</p>
<p>“I thought so,” Chad smiled, taking his time to slowly wrap the blindfold around Carlos’ eyes.  It wasn’t until he was absolutely sure Carlos couldn’t see through it, that the door was locked behind them, that Chad dared to pull his mask low.  He contemplated Carlos’ lips, thin but still pretty and pink before he decided to move lower, brushing his lips against the delicate curve of Carlos’ neck.</p>
<p>The reaction was immediate, a whine spilling from Carlos’ throat while he thrashed. “<em>Volker</em>.”</p>
<p>“It’s Harry, love,” Chad drawled, allowing his tongue to swipe at the sensitive flesh.  He felt painfully out of depth and knew he couldn’t dawdle before that became entirely obvious.  Still, this was a rarity for them, and that alone should make even a little bit of face time enough to get Carlos going.</p>
<p>“H-Harry,” Carlos gasped when Chad started toying with the edges of the bralette, his hips shifting upwards when Chad finally pushed the lacy material aside so he could start licking and sucking at those nipples.  This, at least, seemed difficult to mess up.  And Carlos seemed to be enjoying it.</p>
<p>“Harry, Harry, <em>Harry</em>,” Carlos was panting, writhing in his grasp. “You- oh, <em>wow-</em>”</p>
<p>“Such pretty nipples,” Chad mused between licks, pinching and flicking the pert nubs before returning his mouth to the sensitive flesh. “Gets me so hard, thinking about ye hiding them under that silk.  How am I supposed to function when I know what’s waiting underneath your clothes like a taunt?”</p>
<p>Roleplay was, without question, kind of weird, and Chad felt especially stupid doing it, but Carlos seemed to be enjoying himself.  An enjoyment that the panties could not hide, the delicate fabric straining around Carlos, a damp spot growing at the front of it, impossible to ignore.</p>
<p>“Is that getting ye wet, sweetheart?” Chad asked, palming Carlos’ groin and getting a broken croon in response. “If ye don’t mind, I’m gonna take a look at that lovely clit of yours.”</p>
<p>“<em>Harry</em>,” Carlos gasped, scandalized and embarrassed all in one, and it was nice to watch that flush spill down his chest when Chad <em>finally</em> eased the panties low enough to get a hand on Carlos directly.</p>
<p>“Feel so good, darlin’,” Chad breathed. “And I’m gonna keep makin ye feel good, alright?  This is all about you, my beautiful, gorgeous-”</p>
<p>“<em>Harry</em>.” He was so close, panting and shaking in Chad’s grip, and it only got worse the more Chad sucked and toyed with his nipples, one hand pumping steadily between Carlos’ legs.</p>
<p>“That’s me,” Chad drawled. “And if I weren’t so busy managing the ship, I’d spend my whole life right here, between your legs.  Spend my time ravishing ye until ye couldn’t remember your own name.  Would ye like that?  I’d dress ye up so nice and pretty and <em>no one else</em> would touch ye, not if ye didn’t want it, because you’re my darlin’ and ye only deserve the best-”</p>
<p>At that point in the rambling dialogue, Carlos fell apart with a moan and Chad guided him through it, coaxing his hips faster and doting on him until Carlos had nothing left to give, could only offer weak mewls when Chad teased the oversensitive flesh.</p>
<p>It was almost sad, when Chad was forced to put his mask back on once more.  Still, it needed to be done, so he slipped out of <em>Harry</em> mode and back into Volker, carefully pulling the blindfold off of Carlos’ face.</p>
<p>He was met with a dazed expression, Carlos panting and flushed, and the perfect picture of something Jay would immediately want to ravish.</p>
<p>Chad started undoing the wrist ties that fixed Carlos’ hands to the headboard. “Happy birthday, pup.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck, <strong>yes</strong> it was</em>,” Mal cackled through the door, and that was all the warning they got before the other two joined them- Jay hot on their heels as they moved to give Carlos birthday wishes of their own that ended with the young De Ville getting a blowjob while Mal whispered positively <em>filthy</em> things to him.  </p>
<p>Later, they all collapsed on the bed in a giant pile, and Chad tried to pretend it wasn’t the best thing ever.</p>
<p>“I change my mind,” Mal declared, running a hand through Carlos’ curls. “This birthday shit is awesome.”</p>
<p>“You can say that again,” Jay murmured, offering her a fist to bump, and they all shared a moment where they got to rediscover the wonders of a basic decency they already should have had.</p>
<p>Still, they didn’t, and now they did, and that was what mattered. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>One night, Uma followed Gil home to Bargain Castle.</p>
<p>There was a distinct pause in activity, but Chad motioned everyone on, from the gardeners to the chefs to the collectors, everyone finishing up their last-minute tasks before dinner.  He motioned Gil on to get some food and took Uma to the war room, where he seemed to have most of his meetings nowadays.</p>
<p>“I want in,” Uma said without preamble. “Gil says you guys have a steady line of food.”</p>
<p>“We do.” There was no point in denying it. “But what can your crew bring to the table?”</p>
<p>Literally.  Figuratively.</p>
<p>“We can take over fishing operations,” Uma said, as though knowing Chad had been despairing over that very task. “And we can act as protection for your collectors.  And the ones that go out into the forest.”</p>
<p>Chad made a show of considering this, but the deal was already good as done. “I’ll allot a portion of each successfully acquired supply run to go to the Lost Revenge.  And you can be under the same protection terms as everyone else.”</p>
<p>“We don’t need your protection,” Uma snapped.</p>
<p>“And yet, you’ll have it,” Chad said. “If you need it.”  He wouldn’t want to underestimate her capabilities as a captain, but obviously things were getting tight for her that winter. “And you can have access to our medic too.” </p>
<p>After all, that was what this was <em>really</em> all about.</p>
<p>Uma stared at him, gaze deeply unhappy, but it wasn’t like Gil <em>wasn’t</em> going to tell Chad about his crewmates that were starting to show signs of the flu, which could progress into some seriously nasty things if left untreated.</p>
<p>He waited a beat. “That work for you?”</p>
<p>“I need one more thing,” she said, eyes narrowed slightly. “Your handkerchief.”</p>
<p>That was… not what Chad had expected.</p>
<p>He pulled out the small pocket of fabric carefully, trying to see if this was some kind of trap. “This?”</p>
<p>“Yep.” She took it from him with a serious gaze, which meant it wasn’t a frivolous request for all that it seemed like one. “Okay, we’re in.”</p>
<p>“Great.” He motioned for her to follow him. “We’ll get Evie to put it down in writing.”</p>
<p>After five months of friendship with Gil Chad <em>finally</em> had the Wharf Rats on his side, and all it cost him was a handkerchief. </p>
<p>“One last thing,” he said, just as Uma paused by the door. “Do you want me to kill Ursula?”</p>
<p>Uma froze, considered this with narrowed eyes, then slanted perhaps the first positive expression back towards him by way of a smirk. “If you’re not too busy.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The tentacles were a problem, of course.  That and the fact that Ursula tended to stick to confined spaces where she would have the advantage with her long reach.</p>
<p>Chad cheated by using one of his stealth runes and shooting her in the eye from across the room, until she fell over slumped, dead to the world.</p>
<p>He let Uma clean up the aftermath.  She seemed more than eager to.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“<em>Uma?</em>” Mal folded her arms across her chest in a deep scowl when they gathered in her bedroom that night, Evie and Jay lazily making out on the couch while Carlos toyed with a collection of extra parts he hadn’t managed to find a use for yet. “You let <em>Uma</em> join?”</p>
<p>“You do realize she works under you now, right?” Chad asked, and it was sort of satisfying to watch the full implication of that hit Mal, making her stop pacing altogether. “You can’t abuse this authority,” Chad continued when a wicked smirk spread across her face. “But you <em>can</em> take satisfaction in the fact you won.  So… petty grudge over.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t <em>petty</em>,” Mal snapped, crossing over to where Chad was perched in her armchair before flopping down in his lap. “It was very serious and now it’s <em>done</em>.”</p>
<p>“Because you’re a winner,” Chad said, dutifully unzipping her pants.</p>
<p>“You say the nicest things,” Mal cooed, cupping his mask-covered cheeks carefully.  Even though it wasn’t direct contact with his skin, Chad thought she liked to indulge in it because it was an extension of trust on his part. </p>
<p>A pretty flush started to spill across her cheeks when Chad eased his hand into her panties.</p>
<p>“I do what I can for you, Bruiser,” Chad murmured, watching with delight when her cackle shifted into a groan, because he’d done that.  He’d <em>helped</em>. </p>
<p>Maybe he wasn’t so broken after all.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad had expected Harry to corner him eventually; he’d just always assumed (for <em>some</em> dumb reason) that the first mate would have been more subtle about it.</p>
<p>He wasn’t.</p>
<p>And so in what could have been the very private walk down the very dark hall towards Chad’s current bedroom in Bargain Castle, Harry tried to attack him, launching from a predictable nook that Chad had kept his gaze on the entirety of his stay there.  As a result of that hyperawareness, he maneuvered the first mate into the abandoned lounge right across from the nook, letting the other teen’s momentum carry him into seclusion. </p>
<p>Harry recovered with remarkable aplomb, paying no heed to the door Chad locked behind him, or the fact that the only light provided here was that of the moon.</p>
<p>“Just because we’re joining ye doesn’t mean ye <em>own me</em>!” he snapped, posture tense like that of a wounded animal. </p>
<p>“No,” Chad agreed, because he’d never wanted to own Harry. “I’m more like your boss.  But even bosses have to review the work of their underlings.”</p>
<p>“I’m not <em>under</em> ye!” He just seemed generally obstinate, carrying a heavy refusal on his shoulders.  Chad wondered if he’d been torn up like this since Chad had saved him from Don Carnage and Harriet.   </p>
<p>“You’re not?” Chad asked, and that was all the warning he got before Harry <em>lunged</em>. </p>
<p>The pirate’s movements were brutal but fueled by rage, making it easy for Chad to sidestep him, use the shadows to his advantage until Harry slipped up.  It didn’t take much to pin him to the ground, flat on his stomach with his arms twisted behind his back, Chad hovering over him.</p>
<p>“Seems like you’re under me now,” Chad offered casually, feeling the pirate’s growl vibrate through his back. “Is this what you wanted, Harry?”</p>
<p>“No.” Harry flexed under his hold stubbornly. “It damn well <em>isn’t</em>.”</p>
<p>“Could have fooled me,” Chad mused, shifting Harry’s arms to one hand so Chad could reach up and caress his cheek. “You seem so desperate for my attention, Harry.  The truth is I hardly ever think about you, but you seem to think of me all the time.”</p>
<p>“<em>Shut it</em>,” Harry snapped. “I don’t give a shit about your attention.”</p>
<p>“You don’t?” Chad continued stroking his cheek, knew he didn’t misread the shiver that went through the pirate’s frame. “You don’t want my attention so bad that you’d corner me in the shadows?  You know…” Chad leaned forward, letting his lips draw close to Harry’s ear. “I think you <em>like</em> the fact that I own you.  I think you <em>like</em> being dominated.  It’s why you follow Uma, isn’t it?  She’s so strong.  So sure.  She has no problem bossing you around which is <em>just</em> what you want.”</p>
<p>Harry growled, but seemed unable to form an objection; making Chad think he was right on the money.</p>
<p>“Is that what you want, Harry?” Chad asked, letting his fingers card through that short, dark hair. “You want to be dominated?  Are you wet from the thrill of it?  From me owning you so completely?”</p>
<p>“N-No.” Harry shook his head, a scowl fixed in place, but even the shadows couldn’t hide his flush. “Ye <em>crazy-</em>”</p>
<p>“Let’s test a theory.” Chad lifted the first mate in a sudden movement, pressing his torso against the seat of the couch until he was bent over it, knees dragging against the ground.  Chad pressed his own knees against Harry’s legs, kept his arms folded behind his back as the first mate exhaled roughly through his nostrils. “Comfortable?”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck you</em>,” Harry spat.</p>
<p>“You’re the one who came to me, Harry,” Chad reminded him, slinking a hand around the pirate’s waist to cup the bulge between his legs. “What’s this?”</p>
<p>Harry thrashed. “That’s <em>nothing</em>, ye idiot-”</p>
<p>“Are you excited?” Chad continued as though he hadn’t heard him. “Would you like me to help you, Harry?  Bring you some pleasure while you can do absolutely <em>nothing</em> about it?”</p>
<p>Harry growled, but didn’t deny him, didn’t do more than twitch when Chad began rubbing between his legs in careful, measured strokes.</p>
<p>“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” Chad continued. “You’re so desperate not to be owned even though you want nothing less than for me to bend you over this couch.  What would Uma say?”</p>
<p>Harry groaned, but Chad just moved his hand faster. “Do you think she’d be disappointed, or would she like to watch?  Or even better-” Chad said as he unfastened Harry’s pants. “Would she <em>join</em> us?  Hold down your arms for me?”</p>
<p>He slipped a hand inside the garment and was surprised to find nothing but hot skin, a sort of whimper swallowed in Harry’s throat. “Commando, Harry?  Was this really what you were hoping for?”</p>
<p>A moan answered his question, Harry trembling against the couch as Chad worked him closer to the edge, the pirate’s hips shifting into the warm hold of his hand.</p>
<p>“I didn’t realize you felt so neglected,” Chad offered casually. “What kind of leader would I be if I didn’t take care of my treasures?  Give them the treatment they deserve.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ah</em>- V-Volker,” Harry moaned, trembling against the couch. “I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>“You come just for me,” Chad ordered, letting his voice get dark and threatening. “Come right now, Harry.  That’s an order.”</p>
<p>“Volker!” A hard <em>shudder</em>, and Harry was spent, until all he had left to give were small whimpers while Chad continued to tease him, knowing he was likely oversensitive and feeling vindictive about it.</p>
<p>When he thought Harry might have learned his lesson, he stopped, wiping his hand off on the other teen’s pants. “Next time you want to be disciplined, just ask for it.”</p>
<p>“T-This doesn’t mean anything,” Harry mumbled, sounding closer to coherent, a slight edge of panic in his voice.</p>
<p>“Of course it doesn’t,” Chad agreed. “You’re still a Wharf Rat, and I’m still your boss.  Well-” He’d give him this. “-your boss’s boss.  Try to remember that.”</p>
<p>It was the closest to a resolution he could offer, so with that he left Harry panting against the couch cushion.  There may be repercussions from that later, but hopefully there would be a dip in Harry’s aggression.  Anything to make the wheels grease better.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Uma sidled up next to him in a slow, deliberate movement, exuding enough calm that Chad was sure she was anything but, or at the very least close to <em>not</em> being so at the drop of a hat.  He offered her the attention she was due with a nod of his head, choosing to set aside his reports as a show of respect.</p>
<p>“Heard you disciplined Harry,” she said with a deceptive sort of tranquility.  She didn’t have a hand on her sword but it looked like she wanted to, if only from the tension in her shoulders.</p>
<p>Chad didn’t bother denying it. “He needed it.” She knew better than anyone else how Harry got. “However, I can contemplate alternate forms of discipline in the future, should you prefer.  Or leave it to you altogether.” Chad shrugged. “Whichever you’d like.”</p>
<p>It was clear by Uma’s slight shift in posture that she hadn’t expected the offer. “You would leave him to me?”</p>
<p>“He’s yours, isn’t he?” It was a claim Harry would make before anything else. “I can respect that.  This first infraction required a necessary response on my part, but I’ll gladly defer future punishments to you if you can confirm that the message will get across.”</p>
<p>Uma considered his offer. “And if he’d prefer his ‘discipline’ from you?”</p>
<p>“Then we’ll proceed as we are.” This was not the type of plan Chad had considered when he started his takeover of the Isle, but he supposed that if you wanted your employees to perform to the best of their ability, it was best to give them what they wanted.</p>
<p>After a moment’s deliberation, Uma nodded. “Fine, you can keep doing what you’re doing.”</p>
<p>Which was not how Chad was expecting that to go.</p>
<p>But Uma was already dipping her head in a respectful form of goodbye and leaving him to work, so...  he guessed that was one way to defuse a situation.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to everyone for the feedback!!  It is always greatly appreciated, especially in these crazy times :)</p>
<p>Story notes: </p>
<p>By complete happenstance, this ended up being an entirely more Carlos-centric chapter than I intended it to be.  Woops.  Also featuring the first of many sexy Harry moments.  What fun ;D</p>
<p>Edwin was invented for this fic.</p>
<p>And hey, Chad finally figured out what Harry wanted.  Sort of.  It had to happen at some point. </p>
<p>Look at Uma, getting presents for her hopeless first mate. </p>
<p>WARNING - This is not unlike the situation from last chapter.  Takes place during the second to last scene, except it’s Harry raising a fuss this time.  He denies sex as being his intent for a confrontation, even if that was what he was ultimately hoping for and does end up appreciating.  Still, there is a struggle, so if you aren’t comfortable with that, look out for this line:</p>
<p>“Fuck you,” Harry spat. </p>
<p>You can jump back in at:</p>
<p>“T-This doesn’t mean anything,” Harry mumbled, sounding closer to coherent, a slight edge of panic in his voice. <br/>And the sex times will be over</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Designating Monikers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chad poisoned himself.</p>
<p>He <em>poisoned</em> himself.</p>
<p>Which was especially impressive, considering the fact that he had developed immunities to most poisons.  Well, he supposed if it had been an actual poison he’d been dosed with, he would have been fine, but instead he’d gotten taken down by a very strong concentration of clove.</p>
<p><em>Clove</em>. </p>
<p>That was what he got for letting Chef Louis take Darla on as a temporary assistant.  They’d been testing out some recipes – Darla getting some herbs confused and instead of Chad clearing a loaf of bread for his department heads’ consumption, he had gotten blindsided by a fistful of natural aphrodisiacs.</p>
<p>Long story short, Darla had been replaced, the bread had been shelved as bait against their enemies, and Chad was stuck with a certain <em>problem</em> that refused to go away.</p>
<p>He was so damn embarrassed by his accidental poisoning that he spent the majority of the evening hiding out in the high attic of Bargain Castle, grateful for the proper system of delegation he had in place that would hopefully keep the others from seeking him out.  He just needed one night to wallow in his stupidity, and while he could have easily done that at the Lodge, there was also less places to hide in the cozy abode, which left Chad here.  Staring out the window, wishing for a breeze strong enough to kill the fire burning in his veins, between his legs, hating the concept of sex entirely as much as he longed for it. </p>
<p><em>Fuck</em>, he missed Ben’s stupid face.  Ben always got so embarrassed by sex stuff.  He wouldn’t talk about it, just- stutter around, like it wasn’t the thing that led to his existence.   And Doug – Chad had been sitting next to him when they’d had to watch those informative movies about going through <em>the change</em>, which was apparently different for half-dwarves, though Doug had always refused to go into details despite being Chad’s roommate – he’d gotten so <em>red</em>, because he was so very proper. </p>
<p>Ben, in his natural curiosity, made a dedicated effort to research the intricacies of dwarf puberty because of this secrecy, which had actually been hilarious when he’d forgotten to turn safe search on.  </p>
<p><em>Ugh</em>, Chad missed that dumb asshole.  He wondered if Ben mourned his loss, though Chad doubted it.  Of course Ben would have some obligatory sorrow because he was too nice not to, but then he’d move on like the brave noble prince he was and meanwhile Chad was stuck on an island accidentally dosed with aphrodisiac wondering how much farther he could fall. </p>
<p>Stupid nutmeg.  Stupid mace.</p>
<p>Chad focused on these things because otherwise he might panic, and honestly, he didn’t have time for that.  So he grumbled.  Internally.  He wondered what Jane would think about this situation.  She’d likely find it fascinating, document the entire ordeal, ask Chad <em>questions</em>.  She was adorable like that.</p>
<p>“Hey,” a soft drawl broke into his unhappy meditation, revealing one of the last people Chad wanted to see at that moment – Jay.  Jay and his stupid flirtatious very attractive face,. “Thought I saw you sneak up here.”</p>
<p>“You saw me sneak into a hidden nook and thought I wanted company?” Chad asked, lifting an unimpressed brow at him while drawing his knee closer to his chest, covering his stupid predicament. “Your intellect knows no bounds, Jadir.”</p>
<p>The teen made a face. “It’s <em>Jay</em>,” he groused, ignoring the silent warning because Jay had no sense of self-preservation, deciding to wind his way across dusty footboards like a cat instead of making a tactful retreat. “And you usually don’t do the brooding thing until Friday.  What gives?”</p>
<p>“I was feeling spontaneous,” Chad drawled, mentally cursing himself for creating a predictive pattern of behavior. “Decided to reschedule, now go away.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, no.” Jay set his hands on his hips, examining the pale strip of Chad’s exposed face with narrowed eyes. “Dude, are you sick?”</p>
<p>“<em>Nope</em>.” Chad rolled his eyes. “If I was sick, I’d get treated.” Or better yet, treat himself.</p>
<p>“Unless you don’t want to seem weak,” Jay challenged, crossing to him with renewed determination. “It looks like you have a fever-”</p>
<p>“I’m <em>fine</em>, Jay.” There, Chad had even said his name, how nice was he? “It’s a temporary problem.”</p>
<p>“What, did you just come up here to sweat it out in silence?” Jay asked, hovering just a few feet from Chad. “You remember that whole ‘lead by example’ shit you were spouting off earlier-”</p>
<p>“Will you just fuck off?” Chad snapped. “There isn’t anything Dr. Proulx can do.  It’s temporary, now <em>go away</em>.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Jay was contrary down to his very <em>bones</em> so he didn’t move, choosing to stare at Chad until he found some <em>clue</em> as to what had gone wrong.  There was a beat, and then his gaze shifted to where Chad was strategically hiding his lap.</p>
<p>“No way.”</p>
<p>“Fuck <em>off</em>, Jay.” Chad tensed, one hand going to his axe when Jay shifted to get a better look, his eyebrows flying up towards his hairline once he realized what Chad had been attempting to hide.</p>
<p>“What the fuck?” Jay seemed legitimately confused. “I thought you didn’t <em>do</em> sex.”</p>
<p>“Everyone can do sex, you ingrate,” Chad snapped. “I generally choose not to.”</p>
<p>“What the fuck?” Jay simply repeated. “Is this what you do on Fridays?”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Chad flushed at the implication. “This is an isolated incident.  Now-”</p>
<p>“How is it isolated?” Jay asked, because he just- didn’t care about his wellbeing. “Did you- were you <em>drugged?</em>”</p>
<p>“Accidentally,” Chad snapped. “And it’s something that won’t be happening again.”</p>
<p>“So what, you were just going to wait it out?” Jay didn’t seem to understand this, despite the fact that Chad had <em>literally</em> been doing just that. “What the hell, man, just munk one off.”</p>
<p>“Nope.” Because then Chad actually <em>might </em>have a panic attack, and he didn’t have time for that. “Get out of here, Jay.”</p>
<p>“Um…” Jay hesitated, of course he hesitated because he was a giant <em>shit</em>, but there was a flush on his cheeks because for all that he talked a big game, his walk was small and infinitesimal. “Maybe I could help you.”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t deign to give him a verbal response, simply leveling the most unimpressed look he was capable of while his genitals screamed <em>‘yes</em>’. </p>
<p>“Come <em>on</em>,” Jay – whined?  Was that whining?  “You can use my mouth.  Since, you know, you always take care of us.” His blush darkened, head ducking somewhat bashfully. “...let me take care of you, please.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t an unfair request.</p>
<p>Sure, it would give Jay access to a part of Chad the prince would offer to no others, wouldn’t offer to Jay yet again, but…</p>
<p>Jay had done good work for them.  Once he’d committed to the crew, he’d been <em>all in</em>, looking after Carlos and Evie and watching Mal in something like awe-</p>
<p>It wasn’t a hard decision to make.</p>
<p>Chad made a show of considering this even though he’d long since surrendered, between the heat and Jay’s earnestness and Chad’s own desire to be normal for once, there wasn’t any other option. “And you’ll keep your hands to yourself?” Chad pressed. “Keep your arms locked behind your back?”</p>
<p>Jay shifted restlessly, and if he had any less control, he likely would have whined at the condition. “Y-Yes, I can do that.”</p>
<p>Chad hummed, letting his head fall back against the window ledge. “Alright,” he said lazily, as though his heart wasn’t about to beat out of his chest. </p>
<p>It was almost comical how quickly Jay fell to his knees, scrambling down before him before consciously folding his arms behind his back, hands holding onto the opposite bicep in a show of total surrender.</p>
<p>The easy acquiescence dulled the terror that lingered at the back of Chad’s mind, which was what enabled him to set his feet against the floor, exposing his <em>issue</em> for Jay’s perusal.    </p>
<p>He watched the other teen’s throat bob in a swallow, his pupils dilating.  He just wanted to be helpful, didn’t he? </p>
<p>Jay didn’t hesitate before shifting forward, using his mouth to undo the button to Chad’s pants, teeth locking around the thin zipper to open his fly, Jay panting with exertion all the while.  Through tremendous restraint, Chad managed to keep himself composed, didn’t stutter his hips even though that warm mouth was so <em>close</em>, didn’t groan when Jay started mouthing at him through the thin material of his underwear.  It was good.  It was a good thing.  This felt like a good thing.</p>
<p>It was even better when Jay managed to um- get Chad <em>into</em> his mouth, no barriers, nothing but an eager determination that kept him bobbing his head, Chad biting ruthlessly at his lip to keep sound from spilling out and desperately grateful for the fact that the majority of his face was covered.</p>
<p>“…Good, Jay,” he murmured, letting one hand card through Jay’s hair, the other resting on his axe. “You’re doing well.”</p>
<p>A small whimper seemed to spill from Jay’s throat, the thief flushing under the praise, and Chad decided to keep it up, using his words as a way to keep control of the situation, keep control of his emotions.</p>
<p>“So pretty,” he said, reveling in the way that blush brilliantly darkened, Jay’s hips shifting reflexively. “So pretty, just for me.  So eager to please, my precious.” Jay hummed around him, vibrations that rocked Chad to his core. “You like that, don’t you?  Being appreciated.  Like your hard work being acknowledged because you do so well, try so hard to be aloof but you just want the praise you deserve.”</p>
<p>Jay shuddered, and Chad hoped it hid his own trembling, hoped his words brought a comfort he so desperately longed for himself. </p>
<p>“Would you like to touch yourself?” Chad asked, and Jay’s eyes flew open, a needy sort of desperation clear in their depths. “You can if you want, precious.” Jay shuddered. “You’ve been doing so well.”</p>
<p>Jay whined as he slid a hand between his legs, cupping the prominent bulge with a few rough trembles.</p>
<p>“That’s it,” Chad urged. “Touch yourself, for me.  Do you like putting on a show?”</p>
<p>A desperate croon echoed from Jay’s throat, and Chad knew that neither of them were going to last much longer. </p>
<p>He fumbled for a handkerchief. “Show me how wet you are, Jay,” he murmured, feeling bizarrely confident for as little experience as he had, <em>Jay</em> making him feel in control, making him feel capable. “You’re going to make a mess otherwise, precious.”</p>
<p>Just like every other time Chad said the name, Jay whined, hips stuttering against his palm as he fumbled to free himself with one hand, all the while never ceasing his work on Chad.</p>
<p>“There you go,” Chad soothed, once Jay had finally exposed himself.  “Here,” he ordered, pressing the handkerchief into Jay’s hand. “Into that, just for me.  You can do it.”</p>
<p>There was an embarrassed sort of moan before Jay’s hand moved to follow his orders, the blush spilling down his cheeks, likely onto his neck as he rutted into the material, working as frantically as he could. </p>
<p>“Come on, Jay,” Chad panted, feeling his control begin to slip as he hurtled towards the edge. “That’s it- come just for me.  Come just like this- doing a good job.  Being so useful.  C-Come and- <em>Jay!</em>”</p>
<p>They lost control about the same time, Jay eagerly swallowing him down while his hips stuttered into his hand, until Chad was gasping in deep breaths to try and regain some kind of equilibrium.  Jay seemed happy just to stay there, coaxing out whatever aftershocks he could until Chad seemed finished.  When he pulled away, his lips were flushed and wet, his chest heaving, everything seeming entirely too difficult save for resting his head against Chad’s knee.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” he murmured, voice coming in a rough gasp. “F-Fuck, man.”</p>
<p>“Did you like your reward?” Chad asked, carding his fingers through Jay’s messy hair while tucking himself back into his clothes, feeling closer to himself in his own skin than he had been before.</p>
<p>“Fuck <em>yes</em>, I did,” Jay huffed. “Um- could we-?”</p>
<p>“Not like that,” Chad said, because he knew better, knew without the clove it wouldn’t have happened at all.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay repeated. “Um- about that ‘precious’ stuff-”</p>
<p>“Only when you do good, Jay,” Chad reminded him, and he didn’t imagine the small whimper that followed, Jay looking too embarrassed over the nickname to spare concern for <em>that</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Hey,” Gil said out of the blue one day while Chad was running him through different axe forms in the training hall. “You um- call Jay that name, sometimes.”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t pause, even though he didn’t automatically understand to what Gil was referring.  The guy’s train-of-thought wasn’t always the most direct. “What?”</p>
<p>“You know.” It was either the exertion or an embarrassment Gil somehow felt, which seemed impossible, because Gil didn’t possess any feelings aside from unending enthusiasm. “That P-word.  You call him that, sometimes.”</p>
<p>Chad motioned for him to stop, brain finally catching up to ‘<em>p-word</em>’ and ‘<em>Jay</em>’ and <em>‘sometimes</em>’ and leaving him with a conversation he didn’t really want to have. “When he’s good,” Chad said eventually, deciding to go for the route of honesty because anything else would confuse Gil. “Yes.”</p>
<p>Gil’s maybe-blush darkened. “Um… I know I don’t do good that often, but um-” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “If I <em>did</em>, could I get a name too?”</p>
<p>Chad considered this. </p>
<p>It was a small thing.  A dumb thing, but the prospect seemed to make Gil happy. “Okay, sweetheart.”</p>
<p>Gil blinked, clearly taken off-guard by the comment, and let his face split into a wide grin, blush forgotten as he reveled in this small, dumb happiness. “Thanks, boss.”</p>
<p>“Don’t thank me yet,” Chad murmured, resituating his axe. “That one was a freebie, the rest you’ve got to earn.”</p>
<p>“I can do that!” Gil chirped, then proceeded to have the most focused sparring session they’d ever shared over the course of their training.</p>
<p><em>Huh</em>, seemed like small things could make a difference.</p>
<p>“Good job, sweetheart,” he said when their training was over, and he thought his heart might melt, the warmth of Gil’s smile was so strong.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>When Carlos declared, “I’ve done good work for you.” Chad was able to sense a recurring theme.  He sighed, but Carlos was determined, giving him an obstinate look. “I’ve done at least as good as Jay, and you’ve known me longer.”</p>
<p>“Honestly, this wasn’t supposed to be a thing,” Chad replied, but Carlos could be a stubborn shit on the best of days, so he knew this conversation wasn’t going to end without the young De Ville getting his own pet name. “Fine.  Good work, baby.”</p>
<p>He was treated to that familiar pissy expression he both loved and hated. “<em>Baby</em>?” Carlos griped. “I’m not a kid-”</p>
<p>Chad reached out before he could continue complaining, because he would – it was Carlos – and cupped that pale cheek, turning Carlos to properly face him.  The inventor cut off with a blink, and Chad tilted their foreheads together, staring directly into those warm brown eyes. “Good work, baby.”</p>
<p>Carlos shivered reflexively, for <em>once</em> at a loss for words, before he tried to recover.  Couldn’t hide the pretty flush that dusted his cheeks though, or the way he had obviously enjoyed the praise. “T-Thanks, boss.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” Chad chirped, because he might be a villain but he could be a <em>polite</em> one, and with that, he left this madness behind him.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Only to discover it once more via Evie’s unimpressed stance, arms folded across her chest as they wrapped up one of their medical supplies’ updates.</p>
<p>“If you’re going to play favorites-” she began.</p>
<p>Chad did not groan, but it was a near thing. “You are a <em>princess</em>,” he reminded her with as much patience as he could. “I’m not giving you a pet name.  You’re above that.”</p>
<p>She did not seem entirely happy with this deduction. “It is appropriate for my station if I say it is.”</p>
<p>Chad sighed.  That was one way to get around things. “If her royal highness requires it, then I shall do my best to aid her,” he drawled softly. “Thank you for your hard work, lovely.”</p>
<p>The pale flush that dusted her cheeks was worth the violation in decorum.  It was weird, how such an inconsequential thing could make them happy, but hopefully that would be the end of it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It was not the end of it.</p>
<p>“My reputation helps enforce your control,” Mal snarled, having barged in while Chad was recalculating a new rune diagram and refused to leave until she was heard out. “That’s certainly more than what <em>Jay’s</em> doing.”</p>
<p>“Why do you guys care about this?” Chad still didn’t get it. “Is it just because you haven’t gotten one yet?  I promise, I didn’t really think of it as a reward.  Like, maybe for Jay because he’s a weirdo, but I didn’t think the rest of you would care.”</p>
<p>“Well.” Mal stomped her foot, despite the fact that she would deny doing so until the day she died. “I do.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” At this point, Chad had learned to concede with grace. “You already had one, Bruiser.”</p>
<p>“<em>Bruiser</em>,” Mal cackled, her grin lighting up with pleasure. “It’s certainly better than <em>‘baby’</em>.”</p>
<p>“Think Carlos would have to argue with that one, Bruiser,” he said smoothly, watching the way her cheeks lit up in his peripherals.</p>
<p>These people, man.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>He bit the bullet with Harry, because his eye was doing that little twitchy thing that said a tantrum was near.</p>
<p>“Do you want a name too, or-?”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Harry snapped, forever a creature of pride and <em>Uma</em> and Chad was neither of those. “Keep your stupid names to yourself, <em>mucker</em>.”</p>
<p>“Sure thing, darlin’,” Chad drawled, grinning with delight at the way Harry sputtered. </p>
<p>Oh, this <em>was</em> a good thing.  Yes, definitely one of his better accidents.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“So have you just been saving the best for last, or what?” Uma asked him after they reviewed the patrol schedules for that week.</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Chad settled on. “Maybe I thought you were above that.”</p>
<p>“If princess isn’t above it, then I’m sure as hell not,” Uma sniffed. “Depends on the name, though.”</p>
<p>“I was thinking Maelstrom, if you’re amendable,” Chad said, knowing Uma deserved the courtesy of confirming her own nickname.</p>
<p>“Maelstrom?” Uma echoed.</p>
<p>“Sure.” Chad shrugged. “A fierce storm that can tear up anything in its path.  I can’t think of anything more appropriate.”</p>
<p>“Maelstrom,” Uma mulled it over, but he could see he had already won. “Fine.  Long as I get to call Harry darlin’ too.”</p>
<p>“The more the merrier,” Chad chirped, reveling in the laugh it prompted.</p>
<p>When all else failed, Harry’s torment could be used as a tool for unification.  At least <em>that</em> could be depended on.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The nervous shift of Harry’s weight when he approached Chad in that dark hallway was enough to indicate that he had held out for as long as possible before coming to this point, likely hated himself for ‘breaking’.  He said nothing when Chad led him into the familiar lounge from before, locking the door behind them.  Everything about Harry was restless, movements twitchy and manic, and Chad wondered how the conversation between him and Uma had gone, if she’d given him permission to return to Chad long ago or if she’d waited until he seemed ready to burst out of his skin before sending him Chad’s way. </p>
<p>“A few ground rules,” Chad said, because they might be <em>wicked</em> but respecting body autonomy was an important thing. “Green is good, red means stop, yellow means hold up.”  He motioned to Harry. “Repeat those back to me.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Harry snarled, fingers twisting in the neat hem of his jacket, Evie’s work impeccable.</p>
<p>“Because if you say red, I’m going to stop.  I’m going to stop and there’s going to be no repercussions.  And if I ask how you’re doing and you say green, I’ll keep going.  And if it’s yellow I’ll wait so you can figure it out.”</p>
<p>“That’s not a punishment,” Harry snapped.</p>
<p>“No, those are the rules,” Chad shot back. “And we’re not starting up until you repeat them back to me.”</p>
<p>There was a frustrated pause, then Harry growled. “Green is good, red is stop, yellow is wait.  Can we-” He seemed to scratch at his own skin. “This is stupid.”</p>
<p>“Strip, Harry,” Chad said, light and casual, and <em>there</em> was the defiant gleam in Harry’s eyes, the thing that needed to be soothed.</p>
<p>What followed was one of the most one-sided grapples Chad had ever experienced, though he had the benefit of a lifetime of specialized hand-to-hand combat teachers where Harry just had Isle grit, which could get him far, but <em>not</em> out of Chad’s grasp.  He yanked the clothing off of Harry’s snarling form, the first mate fighting him all the while, and by the time he’d wrenched off the first mates’ underwear, Harry was entirely aroused, his chest heaving from the effort.</p>
<p>“How are you?” Chad asked as he pressed the pirate’s naked form into the ground. “What color?”</p>
<p>“I’ll tell ye if I’m <em>red</em>,” Harry snapped. “Just keep-” He cut off with an inarticulate sound, cheeks flushing all the while.</p>
<p>Right.  Chad would just have to trust that Harry would be honest about his updates.  Checking in too often seemed to ruin the mood for him. </p>
<p>They’d work on it.</p>
<p>“Of course, <em>darlin’</em>,” Chad soothed, pitching his voice low just to watch the shudder vibrate through Harry’s body.  With a little effort, he pressed Harry’s torso into the ground while hooking his arm under the pirate’s left knee, pulling it up so that his lower half was vulnerable.  “How does it feel?” he asked, rubbing at the growing need between Harry’s legs with one hand. “To be exposed, like this?  Anyone could walk in on us.  Anyone could see how wild you are for my hands.  Do you like that?”</p>
<p>Harry groaned, rutting his hips into Chad’s grip, who kept his fingers coy and loose, smirking at the muted snarls it earned him.</p>
<p>“The great Harry Hook,” Chad continued, coaxing him with a relentless tease. “Diminished to a needy, whining <em>pup</em>.  What would your captain say?  That you asked for this.”</p>
<p>Chad moved his hand faster, driven by the sounds that spilled from Harry’s mouth.  </p>
<p>“I think they’d be jealous, personally,” Chad mused. “You seem to be having such a wonderful time.  And you’re so pretty too.” Harry tossed his head in a quick shake, as though trying to deny it. “You don’t think so?”</p>
<p>“N-No,” Harry groaned, panting hard through flushed lips. “…m’not.”</p>
<p>“You calling me a liar?” Chad asked, keeping his voice light. “You’re very pretty, Harry.  I wouldn’t bother with you if you weren’t.  Now.” He teased his hand faster. “What are you?”</p>
<p>Harry shook his head, ever stubborn.</p>
<p>“Harry,” Chad chided, stilling the hand between the pirate’s legs completely, watching the way it made him moan in objection. “What <em>are</em> you?”</p>
<p>“I’m not-” Harry shook his head, cheeks flushing a dark crimson. “I’m not <em>pretty</em>.”</p>
<p>“Do you really not think so?” Chad moved his hand to stroke at Harry’s hip, ignoring the flushed need that made Harry whine, massaging small circles instead.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” Harry groaned. “Don’t be daft-”</p>
<p>“I’m not.” In one swift movement, Chad turned Harry so that he was flat on his back, hooking one of those pale legs over his shoulder so he could box Harry against the ground, staring into those striking blue eyes. “You’re very pretty, Harry.  So pretty I think the others could get sick from it.  I mean-” He reached down to start pumping Harry again, making the pirate’s thighs shake from exertion. “The way that flush spills down your chest.  The little sounds you make when you’re close to losing yourself.  Your eyes and your accent and that neat way you wield a hook – you don’t think those are pretty?  Because I do.” He moved his hand faster. “I think they’re <em>very</em> pretty.”</p>
<p>“Volker,” Harry whispered, hips bucking into his efforts, seeming incapable of saying anything else. “Volker- Volker, I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>“Come for me, my pretty boy,” Chad soothed, working him into a proper frenzy. “I want to see you fall apart.  I want to watch every last second of it.”</p>
<p>That seemed to be all Harry needed to properly fall over the edge.  He surrendered himself to Chad’s attentions, shaking and mewling in his hold until he had nothing left to give, until the air was only tinged with the sound of their panting breath.  </p>
<p>“Pretty boy,” Chad urged, pressing mask-covered kisses against Harry’s flushed shoulders. “Until next time, then?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes.” Harry nodded, eyes seeming unfocused. “That was- green.  Very green.”</p>
<p>Under his mask, Chad smirked. “Glad to hear it.”</p>
<p>Of all the necessary adjustments he had made to survive the Isle, this was one of the stranger ones. </p>
<p>And yet, Chad was slowly becoming okay with it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“…you punish Harry a lot.”</p>
<p>Of all the conversations Chad expected to have with Gil, that was not one of them.  The second mate had meandered into Chad’s office as one of the few permitted to do so with no real purpose, seeming determined to look anywhere but Chad.  It was disconcerting to see his usual cheer replaced with something troubled, and Chad had been waiting for him to express some kind of concern since he’d shown up.</p>
<p>Harry’s ‘punishments’ were not the concern Chad had been expecting, but he supposed it was only a matter of time before this was going to happen anyway.</p>
<p>Chad set his pencil nub aside. “I have an arrangement with your captain,” he began slowly. “It only happens when it is warranted, or when Harry asks for it.”</p>
<p>Gil frowned.  More. “…punishments happen when you’re bad.” He said this like an irrefutable truth. “But I mess up all the time and you don’t punish me.”</p>
<p>Oh.  He was worried about <em>equality</em>.</p>
<p>This guy.</p>
<p>“There are different levels of mistakes, Gil.” Chad felt comfortable saying that much. “The discipline Harry needs is different from what you need.”</p>
<p>“But…” Gil frowned. “You- you discipline people to make them better, right?” He shifted his weight unhappily. “So do you… do you not want me to get better?”</p>
<p>Chad was willing to bet almost anything that it was Jonas that had started this particular line of dialogue for the second mate.  Jonas, the little <em>shit</em>, who had stroked the fires of Gil’s otherwise happy existence until he could sniff out some modicum of potential drama. </p>
<p>Chad made a note to have Uma take care of that little fuck later, but for now, he had to cater to Gil’s needs.</p>
<p>“Gil,” Chad said carefully – he always had to choose his words with the blond because he didn’t know what would get repeated unthinkingly to others. “You and I both know Harry is a combative spirt.  You are not.  I don’t <em>need</em> to punish you; you see your mistakes and correct them on your own.” He paused a moment to let that sink in. “Harry’s different.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s true.” Gil bit at his bottom lip. “But Jonas-” Chad fucking <em>knew it</em>. “-kept saying how I’d <em>want</em> to get punished, but then Harry got all mad and threw him overboard.  I thought maybe he was just being protective of me.” He fidgeted with a loose thread on his vest. “He doesn’t think I’m capable.”</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t capable, Gil,” Chad forced himself to say, forced himself to remain seated even though he wanted to pull that muscly care bear into his arms and hug him into submission.  “I don’t have time for useless people.”</p>
<p>“I <em>know</em>,” Gil whined. “But- I just- you do a lot for us, Volker.” Gil looked at him carefully. “I just want to do as much for you as I can.”</p>
<p>“You are, Gil.” Chad’s heart felt like it was pounding in his throat. “You do a lot just by being here.”</p>
<p>“Because I’m amusing?” Gil asked with a small grin, because even he hadn’t missed the rumors.</p>
<p>“Because you’re <em>you</em>,” Chad offered simply. “And as of right now, you don’t need any punishments.”</p>
<p>“What if I want one?” Gil pressed, as though he were actually trying to give Chad a heart attack. “Like Jonas said?  I mean, Harry asks for them sometimes, right?”</p>
<p>“Because he knows it will be better if he comes to me first,” Chad said, pulse kicking up to an uncomfortable speed. “Rather than making me find him.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Gil blinked. “That makes sense.”</p>
<p>Chad shrugged, feeling the vice in his chest loosen ever so slightly. “He makes sense, sometimes.”</p>
<p>Gil laughed.  It was a glorious thing. “Okay, I’m um- sorry to bother you.”</p>
<p>“You don’t bother me, Gil,” Chad said. “You gave me an excuse not to work.”</p>
<p>“In that case, you’re <em>welcome</em>,” Gil cheered, and just like that he was back to normal, like nothing had ever been wrong. </p>
<p>Chad allowed himself a moment to appreciate the return to normality before writing a note to Uma, flagging down one of the messenger vultures to get it to the Lost Revenge.  If Jonas thought he could get away meddling without any kind of repercussions, he had another thing coming.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad was maybe halfway to driving Harry into the arms of total ecstasy when what had become their usual appointment of ‘disciplining’ was interrupted.  He had the first mate trapped against one of the couches, splayed out on his back with both arms pinned above his head, beautifully naked and moaning.  Chad was using his free hand to coax the pirate’s hips into a familiar rhythm, murmuring lowly in his ear to make him more and more wild, until the pirate seemed entirely incapable of coherent speech, relying on angry snarls to convey his appreciation. </p>
<p>“That’s it, darling’,” he soothed, nuzzling against Harry’s neck as he worked the pirate into a frenzy. “Just like that.  Are you close?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes, Volker,” Harry moaned, hips stuttering into his hand. “I’m close.  I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>He cut off at the ominous shift of the door, Chad immediately moving to block Harry from sight, gaze narrowing at the entrance that had <em>definitely</em> been locked. If it was opening now, it was either someone with a key (Mal) or someone capable of picking locks.</p>
<p>When a shocked looking Jay slid into view, Chad had his answer, and his frustration.</p>
<p>“<em>Jay</em>,” he growled, dragging the thief’s attention to him. “I had the door locked for a reason.”</p>
<p>“What the fuck?” The thief stole into the room with an open expression of confusion. “Are you rewarding Harry?”</p>
<p>“If I was, it’d be none of your <em>business</em>,” Chad snapped.  Beneath his body, he could feel Harry tremble, knew from the sudden onslaught of tension that it wasn’t a positive response.</p>
<p>“But he-” Jay flushed. “…is Mal rewarding him too?”</p>
<p>Harry snarled. “Ye think I’d let her <em>touch</em>-”</p>
<p>“Darlin’,” Chad interrupted, nuzzling Harry’s throat until that red flush was from something other than rage. “-don’t say something you’ll regret.” Without moving his head, he fixed his eyes on Jay, who was staring at Harry’s abandoned clothes. “And that is <em>also</em> none of your business.”</p>
<p>“But…” Jay’s brows furrowed. “I mean, what’d he even do?”</p>
<p>To warrant this level of attention, he meant.  In truth, it was mostly an effort on Chad’s part to placate the first mate – when Harry was happy things were easier on Gil, and this seemed to put Uma in a good mood, for whatever reason. </p>
<p>But none of those were things that concerned Jay.</p>
<p>“He is <em>mine</em>,” Chad claimed with a low growl.  He looked down at Harry, knowing he owed him both an apology and a reward for this bullshit, and shifted his legs so that he straddled the first mate’s lap, blocking his predicament from Jay’s view. “Just as you are Mal’s.” </p>
<p>Slowly, he undid his jacket and utility belt, sliding it off of his shoulders in a prolonged movement that made Harry’s breath catch.  The clothes underneath weren’t anything special – Mal could attest to that much – but neither of them had ever seen his nondescript long sleeve shirt before.  </p>
<p>“And <em>because</em> you are Mal’s…” Chad continued, untucking his shirt in gradual movements. “I will let you leave with a warning, but we will be talking about this later.”</p>
<p>As a final taunt, Chad took Harry’s hands, slid them beneath his shirt so he could feel the muscles of Chad’s back.  It was a level of intimacy he had never allowed, but his back- that was safe.  That area had been unexplored, untainted.  This much he could give to Harry, who seemed to revel in it.</p>
<p>“But-” Jay began to protest.</p>
<p>“<em>Leave</em>,” Chad growled. “And lock the door behind you.”</p>
<p>He only half-listened for the familiar click of the lock turning shut when he leaned closer to Harry, watching the way his pupils dilated. “I’m sorry, darlin’,” he murmured, keeping his pulse regulated so he wouldn’t react to the rough fingers tracing the curve of his back. “He’ll be dealt with later, but I thought you deserved a reward for being so patient through the interruption.”</p>
<p>“V-Volker,” Harry whispered, tone somewhat reverent.</p>
<p>“Come on,” Chad coaxed, grinding his hips down until Harry’s need could rut against the curve of his rear. “Just this once, like this.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Harry moaned, fingers spasming against Chad’s back.  “I- I can’t-”</p>
<p>“You can.” Chad kept moving his hips, maintaining a desperate focus so his body wouldn’t do something horrible like react. “Does that feel good?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” he hissed, beginning to move in a desperate frenzy. “I- I shouldn’t-”</p>
<p>“You’ve got permission, darlin’.” And Chad’s coat was long enough to cover any stains that got left behind. “Or would you like something else?”</p>
<p>Harry flushed a wonderful shade of red. “Can… can I um- your stomach?”</p>
<p>Chad blinked, but it was a benign request, so he allowed it.</p>
<p>“Okay.” He climbed off of Harry, pulling the wanton first mate into the sitting position before lying down on the couch, pushing the hem of his shirt up his torso. </p>
<p>Harry watched him with open hunger, crawling shakily into position before he was straddling Chad, one hand pressed against his mouth while the other braced his weight on the back on the couch. </p>
<p>Slowly, as though he were savoring it, Harry began to thrust against Chad’s stomach, whimpering with each graze of contact.</p>
<p>“Come on,” Chad coaxed him, his hands settled on Harry’s bare hips.  This was new.  Different.  Chad was grateful that it was something he’d never done before, grateful that his body wasn’t negatively reacting to it, choosing to focus on Harry’s comfort instead.  It wasn’t long before the pirate was close to the edge, his movements becoming more and more disjointed.</p>
<p>“Volker,” Harry whined, staring at the muscles of his abdomen. “I’m- I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>Seeing and feeling the effects of Harry’s release were two different things – and while Chad did lose himself for half a second in a different situation, he came back while Harry was still in the throes of the aftershocks.  It didn’t take much to tilt the first mate back onto the couch, to brace himself back over the pirate so he could tease him through the rest of the ordeal until his legs were twitched wide, hips giving a few obligatory thrusts.</p>
<p>“Was that good?” Chad asked, moving to clean both of them up.  His shirt had remained unaffected, luckily, but he could feel Harry’s mess on his stomach and that was close to setting him off.</p>
<p>“G-Green,” Harry confirmed. “T…Thank ye.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome, darlin’.” That was a bit more intense than the rest of their encounters – especially with Jay acting as an aggravating factor.  It made Chad think twice before moving on, even though at this point that was what he’d normally do. “Do you want to stay the night?”</p>
<p>Harry blinked fuzzily at him. “…what?”</p>
<p>“It’s a long walk back to your ship,” Chad explained, slipping off the couch so he could collect Harry’s clothes. “You can stay here, if you want.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Harry flushed, likely embarrassed by how worn out he was. “Okay.”</p>
<p>And that was that.</p>
<p>Chad helped Harry redress in a comfortable silence before guiding the first mate towards his bedroom.  He let him have the first shot getting cleaned up, running a bath for him over mumbled protests, and setting him up with some of the extra ‘lounge’ clothes Evie procured for Chad under the delusion that he might wear them.  </p>
<p>He motioned Harry towards the bed when the first mate stumbled from the bathroom, clean and slightly adorable in Chad’s clothes, before doing a quick wash up himself.  Everything important in his room was safely locked away, if Harry wanted to try looking for it he wouldn’t have much luck, though it seemed like the pirate hadn’t moved from the bed when Chad got out of the bathroom, contently buried in the covers. </p>
<p>Now if only he could be this easy to please <em>all</em> the time.</p>
<p>Chad was in the process of taking off his boots when Mal slunk into the room, re-trapping the door behind her.</p>
<p>“Guess who’s snuggling up to princess like a giant pouting baby?” Mal asked, sparing an unimpressed look towards Harry. “I’ll give you three hints and they are all ‘Jay’.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think you understand the basic concept of a ‘hint’,” Chad said, setting his boots at the base of his bed. “And learn to discipline your pets.”</p>
<p>“Dumb shit,” Mal fondly muttered. “Probably thought you were with Carlos and wanted to get in on the action.”</p>
<p>“Why would I be with Carlos?” They never messed around in the lounge – that was Harry’s space.  Carlos felt more comfortable in a bedroom anyway.</p>
<p>“Beats me.” Mal shrugged. “Literally just said he was a <em>dumb shit,</em> so-” She motioned for Chad to slide into the bed and he did so with a roll of his eyes, rearranging a bewildered Harry until he was curled against his side. “…you’re rewarding Harry, eh?”</p>
<p>“<em>Mal</em>,” Chad sighed.</p>
<p>“Right, I get it,” she muttered. “But I’m not surrendering cuddle time for shit, you hear me?”</p>
<p>“Loud and clear, Bruiser,” Chad murmured, letting her settle in on his other side.  Overall, it was sort of nice.  <em>Weird</em>, because one of the people cuddling next to him was Harry and Harry wasn’t <em>talking</em>, but still nice.</p>
<p>“I was talking to Hook, dipshit.”</p>
<p>Harry tensed. “I didn’t ask to stay.”</p>
<p>No, he was too prideful for that.</p>
<p>“But you didn’t really fight it either, did you?” Mal mused. “Happy to slide into Volker’s clothes-”</p>
<p>“Bed’s big enough for all of us, Mal,” Chad sighed. “No fighting or we’ll skip the status report.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Mal huffed. “I like whatever the fuck you did to make Jay a whiny baby.  It was truly devious.”</p>
<p>Chad allowed himself to chuckle. “I like how efficient you are in re-arming the traps.  It’s delightfully deadly.”</p>
<p>“Flatterer,” she murmured. “…Hook, I like your dumb accent.”</p>
<p>Harry tensed, but Chad was grinning beneath his mask.  He supposed they could extend this olive branch, maybe improve relations with the Wharf Rats. “Harry, I like how loyal you are to your captain.” He lowered his voice. “And how lovely you are in moments of extreme passion.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ugh</em>.” Mal made a gagging noise. “Spare me.”</p>
<p>“Jealous,” Chad simply teased.</p>
<p>Against his side, Harry seemed to relax, tucking his head against Chad’s chest. “…m’not saying shit about Mal.”</p>
<p>“Status reports are for commanders, Hook,” Mal scoffed. “Don’t worry your<em> lovely</em> little head over it.”</p>
<p>“Mal,” Chad sighed again.</p>
<p>“But Volker is um- a good leader,” Harry settled on, shocking Chad to his very core. “And I guess Mal’s not bad at art.”</p>
<p>“Not <em>bad</em>?” Mal began to sputter.</p>
<p>“Enough.” Chad squeezed both of them. “Rest now, we’ve got work tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“Yes, partner,” Mal drawled, tucking herself closer.</p>
<p>Harry chose to say nothing, but he relaxed soon enough, surrendering to slumber with an ease Chad had not anticipated.</p>
<p>It wasn’t the turn of events he’d been expecting, but still, it was good.  At least Mal was learning how to share.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“I guess it’s not surprising,” Evie said out of the blue the next day after Chad had given her the latest list of recruits that needed to be fitted into the school schedule. “You and Harry, I mean.”</p>
<p>For a moment, Chad didn’t say anything, wondering how he should play this out, when Evie continued. “Carlos and I figured as much,” she explained this with no particular inflection, because Evie was first and foremost a wonderful politician capable of maintaining an aura of level composure in even the most dire of circumstances. “With all the stories…”</p>
<p>Because Chad respected Evie, he decided to level with her, figuring that whatever Jay had spilled to her couldn’t be all that out of context. “I would prefer it not be broadcasted.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Evie nodded, and a flash of <em>something</em> flitted through her gaze before it was gone altogether. “Can’t provide potential weaknesses, or make him a bigger target than he is.”</p>
<p>“Right.” Chad supposed that was the price to pay for being Uma’s right-hand man, Harry slated to be second up to run the docks should she ever fall.  Uma herself was likely under more stress, though as the daughter of Ursula, her reputation seemed to do a good job of warding off trouble on its own. “Your discretion is appreciated, your highness.”</p>
<p>“I’ll try to keep Jay in line,” Evie replied, unable to entirely mask the silent preen that made her posture extra perfect. “You can count on me.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Chad said, and they both knew the words were not offered lightly. “And I’m grateful for that.”</p>
<p>In response, Evie’s smile merely widened, a light shiver running through her body.  Chad had to make himself leave before he did something stupid, like offer her adoration he knew very well he couldn’t give. </p>
<p>To make up for it, he took over Mal’s surprise class audit so the half-Fae could dote on Evie in his stead.  When the purple haired teen slid into his room that night, it was with a delighted grin of victory and a blushing princess trailing behind her, and Chad relented to both of them cuddling into his sides.</p>
<p>It was a dangerous thing to get used to.</p>
<p>And yet, he did.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always, thanks to everyone for the feedback last chapter!!! If you cannot tell from my abundance of exclamation marks, it is always greatly appreciated :D</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>According to the haphazard research I did while writing this fic, clove is apparently a natural aphrodisiac, and once I read that tidbit, obviously I had to write something about it ;D</p>
<p>Oh, Darla – the OC that keeps on giving.  Anytime I need a troublemaker, Darla is there to deliver unto me shenanigans, lol </p>
<p>I don’t remember if I mentioned it, but Proulx was an entirely made up surname for LeFou.  Figuring that his first name was supposed to be ‘the fool’, I made his last name mean ‘wise’, hence – the wise fool.  Oxymorons, aren’t they great? :D</p>
<p>I think in the books Castle Across the Way is outfitted with vultures that kept Evie and the Evil Queen supplied while they were banished.  Let’s just say that Evie relocated some of them to Bargain Castle for the crew’s use when she left. </p>
<p>Jonas, like Darla, is the gift that keeps on giving by way of meddlesome background characters. </p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Hooked on Danger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Volker.” Darla descended on him from the shadows, skittering from their depths with a furious whisper as she motioned for his attention. </p>
<p>Liko – her collections partner – lingered a few feet behind her, and it was her disposition that Chad used to judge the situation, since Darla had a tendency to be so very tricky.  It was not comforting that the young girl’s face was worried, her hands twisting together in the hem of the warm coat Evie had made for her. </p>
<p>“Urgent news,” Darla continued, using the emergency hand sign Chad had stressed was only to be used in the most dire of circumstances. “It’s about your <em>darlin</em>’.”</p>
<p>Chad restrained the urge to sigh, because as tightly as he liked to control his more personal interactions, gossip was a natural progression among large groups of people that live together, and if Uma hadn’t been mad at Harry being known as <em>his</em> then there was no point in Chad kicking up a fuss about it.</p>
<p>“Office,” Chad ordered with a curt tilt of his head, beckoning the two children to follow.  The fact that Darla offered no objection on principle was an added point of concern, one that grew when he saw the familiar face of Arthur sprinting down the hall, chest heaving and face flushed, as though he’d ran the whole way from the Lodge.</p>
<p>Too winded to speak, Arthur simply used the emergency hand sign and Chad beckoned him to follow as well, keeping his stride even, if a bit faster than normal.  It was all about <em>appearances</em>.</p>
<p>By the time they’d gotten to his office, Arthur had his breath again, and didn’t wait to share his message. “Mr. Smee just came to the Lodge,” he gasped, one hand pressed against his chest. “Says Captain Hook’s got something in the works but he’s been stiffed out on the details – probably ‘cuz all his kids are with you.”</p>
<p>Chad cut him off with a sweep of his hand, turning his attention to Darla, who demonstrated the severity of the situation by actually waiting her turn for once. “Liko and I spotted Harry sneaking towards the Jolly Roger.  Guy had no backup or nuthin’.”</p>
<p>“Captain Uma doesn’t let her crew go that way after Captain Hook took over Don Carnage’s territory,” Liko added.  Right, that was before Chad started taking heads. “Not even Harriet goes that way.”</p>
<p>“We came to get you as soon as we saw,” Darla cut back in. “Volker-”</p>
<p>She was interrupted by a knock on the door – higher, indicating one of the older kids, and the emergency rhythm, committed with a rapid tempo that demanded his attention.</p>
<p>“Come in,” Chad said, one hand fingering the hilt of his axe. </p>
<p>It was, of all people, Jade – Jay’s cousin and one of the thieves from their fledgling thieves guild. “Jay caught Harry Hook boarding the Jolly Roger,” she said, all but confirming the worst. “He sent me back to update you and followed in pursuit.”</p>
<p>Hopefully, the dumb thief had kept himself <em>off</em> the ship, but you never knew with Jay.</p>
<p>It was ultimately irrelevant, the wheels were in motion now, Chad could do nothing but focus on what was actually within his realm of control.</p>
<p>“Arthur, get back to the Lodge,” Chad ordered, knowing that if this went south, LeFou would need all the manpower he could get. “Keep the facility in lockdown and prepare for the worst.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Volker,” Arthur said, offering a hasty salute before darting back out into the hall.</p>
<p>“Jade,” Chad said, shifting his attention to the older teen. “Get to the Chip Shoppe and update Uma on the situation.  Tell her to send five of her crew, including her, towards the Jolly Rogers.  If she argues, remind her that we can’t let her territory appear undefended, and that we’ll get more backup from the other crews.”</p>
<p>“Can we go get Harriet’s crew?!” Darla asked, one hand waving over her head excitedly. “I could tell her the same thing!”</p>
<p>“You read my mind,” Chad said, and just like every other time he circuitously complimented the young girl, she preened. “Get going, and tell no one else of this development.”</p>
<p>“Our lips are sealed,” Darla pledged, the others nodding behind her, and with that they all left, Chad cutting down to the courtyards where Hedvig was running the older kids through their forms.</p>
<p>He pulled a small portion of her soldiers, knowing the rest needed to maintain a presence at their claimed territories before he hit the streets, sending a kid off to inform Mal of the situation as he went.  There was no time to give her a proper debriefing, which she’d probably get pissed about later, but Chad had to dismiss that for now.  They had a dumb pirate to look after, and people scattered in their wake, eyeing their weapons and armbands and knowing better than to get in the way of Volker’s army.   </p>
<p>The other crews converged just on the outside of Captain Hook’s territory, Uma’s face set in a scowl while Harriet seemed to be shaking with a rage she could barely restrain, lips pulled back in an open snarl that had civilians scattering.</p>
<p>“We don’t know what we’re walking into,” Chad explained, deciding there was no point in beating around the bush.  “Last update places Harry on the Jolly Roger, possibly Jay as well.” He took a moment to gaze upon the gathered crowd of soldiers. “This could very well be a trap.  As such, we’re approaching with caution.  I’ll lead the archers, pick off who we can and act as a diversion so that your two crews can sneak into position to board the ship.” Assuming that was needed, Chad trusted Uma and Harriet’s judgement.  As little as he liked the older Hook, she <em>did</em> care about her brother.  She wouldn’t play this wrong. “Don’t take any unnecessary risks, we outnumber them.  Got it?”</p>
<p>“Got it,” Uma growled, motioning for her crew to follow her, cutting off to the right.  Without waiting to be prompted, Harriet went left, taking a wide loop around to the far side of the Jolly Roger.  </p>
<p>“Bows out,” Chad ordered, nocking an arrow and leveling it at the ready. “We search for high ground.”</p>
<p>Chad couldn’t decide if it was more or less comforting that they didn’t encounter any opposition as they navigated the burned-out building that bordered the docks.  He didn’t hear any emergency calls either, no sounds of battle until he finally got a view of the Jolly Roger and felt his blood freeze in his veins.</p>
<p>It was impossible to miss Harry primed for battle on the open deck of the Jolly Roger.  Impossible to miss his furious visage as he slashed out with a sword, demonstrating a deadly sort of agility Chad rarely got to see.  He was taking on three crew members, and though his chest seemed to be heaving from exertion, the other three seemed worse off. </p>
<p>It didn’t take long to locate Jay, climbing and parkouring around the ship with his usual nimble flare, ducking in to slash at the attacking crew when it was most convenient.  There was already a trail of bodies scattered around the deck, but there were so many more, seeming to wait in the wings for their captain’s order rather than rush in and swamp the place.  It didn’t help that part of the ship appeared to be on <em>fire</em>, and crewmates rushed to take care of that while Captain Hook watched on from the upper deck, a deep scowl on his face.</p>
<p>“My invitation was for Volker, <em>whelp</em>, not you,” the captain’s voice carried, dripping with an acute sort of disdain that reminded Chad of his grandfather.  It had him training his arrow on the captain as soon as the words had registered, his small company of archers moving to do the same, each of them trained to seek out different targets.</p>
<p>Harry slashed one of his opponent’s throats with a snarl, buying himself a second to aim a glare at his father. “Like <em>fuck</em> are ye going to bother him!”</p>
<p>“Always a disappointment, Harry,” the captain drawled, the tip of his silver hook digging into the handrail before him. “Always <em>following</em> instead of leading.  Always leaching on to someone else’s greatness instead of building your own.  It’s pathetic.” He cocked his head to the side, seeming to assess his son as Harry launched himself back on the attack. “I suppose this is fortunate, though.  Now I can give Volker your head and send a <em>real</em> massage as to who’s running the Isle.”   </p>
<p>On an intellectual level, Chad understood how little the parents of the Isle seemed to care for their offspring, but hearing Harry’s father casually decide his murder while his crew were actively trying to <em>kill him</em> brought up remnants of a bitterness only kindled by the Duke, and as such, Chad wasted no time letting his arrow loose, piercing the great Captain Hook right through the eye.</p>
<p>The man cut off mid-cackle, rocking back from the force of the blow before ultimately slumping across the railing before him, body collapsed like a marionet whose strings had been cut.</p>
<p>For a moment, the crew seemed to pause, befuddled by this sudden change, which was all the time Chad’s company needed to loose an intentional volley of arrows, cutting down six more crew members before chaos erupted.  Uma and Harriet’s crews were storming the docks, swords drawn and ready to attack, but that wasn’t what drew Chad’s focus.  As he aimed for a new target, trying to ensure he wouldn’t accidentally hit Jay or Harry, he found his gaze drawn to the younger Hook who was just… staring.  He looked up at Chad’s position with an open sort of concern and confusion that made Chad feel off balanced, and he wanted to snarl at the first mate to <em>get in the moment</em>, to fight before someone tried to gut him, but then-</p>
<p>But then the back of the ship seemed to <em>explode</em>, sending wood and shrapnel flying everywhere, and Chad distantly got the confirmation that Harry had actually been paying attention during his damn alchemy classes.</p>
<p>What had been chaos before devolved into pandemonium – Hook’s crew attempting to abandon the burning wreckage of their ship only to be met by Uma and Harriet’s swords.  Others were being dragged underwater, likely seized by sharks, and Chad paused, frantically searching the remnants of the ship for any sign of Harry and Jay. </p>
<p>“Stay here and pick off any stragglers,” Chad ordered two of his archers, motioning for the rest to put up their distance weapons and switch to their swords, Chad palming his two axes as he took the rickety stairs two at a time, <em>throwing</em> himself into the fray.  Normally he would pay more attention to his surroundings, but not now.  <em>Now</em> they had a crew to take care of, and two idiot underlings to keep safe who seemed to have death wishes and Chad was so <em>angry</em> that he was calm, had to be calm, because if he didn’t manage that much, he might lose them entirely and that was not an option.</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how much time had passed until the remainders of Hook’s crew were corpses on the ground.  Chad was already thinking five steps ahead, sending off two of his soldiers to fetch the body retrieval team (they had one, now) and a handful of artists so they could begin collecting blood and marking their new territory.  They would have to make another recruitment drive to ensure they had enough muscle to man it, but Chad was pretty sure there were a handful of early recruits that were ready to move up from scavenging to enforcement. </p>
<p>He tried to focus on the practical side of things, but he couldn’t entirely hide the way he was prowling the length of the docks, keeping on the lookout for any lingering flashes of red bobbing in the water.  Uma was less subtle about her searches, but that was to be expected – Harry was her <em>first mate</em>, and Jay was- he was Chad’s idiot and he wanted to throttle him as much as he wanted to dote on him because the thief had only done the best he could in the wake of Harry’s stupidity, and that deserved a hell of a lot of rewarding, but that could only happen if he <em>wasn’t dead</em>.</p>
<p>It was an unbelievable relief when Chad finally spotted Jay’s arm reach up onto the docks, the thief dragging himself up out of the water in slow, grunting shifts.  Chad cut to him immediately, and wasn’t surprised to find Harry <em>damn</em> Hook unconscious in his free arm, curled against Jay’s side and looking far too pale.</p>
<p>“I want a full report from you later,” Chad said, letting Jay know his expectations as he helped ease the young Hook out of the water. </p>
<p>Uma was on them in an instant, checking Harry’s pulse while Gil and Bonnie lingered nearby with worried expressions. </p>
<p>“He’s got a pulse but he’s not breathing,” she growled, fingers curling against his sodden coat with frustration.</p>
<p>“We need to perform CPR,” Chad said, and it probably should have been less of a surprise when she managed a look of confusion through her anger. </p>
<p>Right.</p>
<p>“Tilt his head back,” Chad ordered, pulling Harry’s clothes out of the way so he could do chest compressions. “When I tell you to, pinch his nose, and push two breaths into his mouth, okay?” He didn’t wait for her confirmation before he began the compressions, doing a quick thirty beat before nodding to Uma. “Go.”</p>
<p>It was a testament to her trust in him that she didn’t hesitate, following the order with a precision and care that would have left Chad aching were he not so focused on keeping Harry alive.  They carried on like that for a few more minutes, Jay crouched beside Chad, watching his movements with a critical gaze.  It wasn’t much, but his presence was a comfort, and Chad tried to focus on that the less Harry responded, knowing that they couldn’t stop, they couldn’t stop, he couldn’t-</p>
<p>It was an immense relief when Harry <em>finally</em> started coughing up water, the first mate turning onto his side before he spat out a few generous mouthfuls of salt water that would likely leave him aching for a few days.</p>
<p>“Bloody <em>hell</em>,” the young Hook muttered, slowly pushing himself up.  Uma and Chad said nothing as he moved to do so, did nothing as the first mate struggled to his feet.  Gil, unable to help himself, offered a steadying hand before Harry could fall, and it was clear proof of Harry’s exhaustion that he didn’t immediately snap at the blond for it.</p>
<p>“Let me get one thing clear,” Chad said when Harry was finally on his feet. “Am I to understand that Captain Hook extended an invitation to me to join him on his ship – an invitation you intercepted, and decided to take on my behalf?”</p>
<p>Harry’s posture tensed defensively, eyes cutting to Chad like he hadn’t expected him to be there.</p>
<p>“It’s a yes or no question,” Chad continued, the rest of the crews falling into a distinct silence.</p>
<p>Given those options, it was no wonder Harry pulled his shoulders back, setting his jaw in that stubborn clench that was going to be the death of Chad one day. “Aye,” he said, just to be contrary.</p>
<p>The <em>dumbass motherfucker</em>.</p>
<p>In an effort to manage his frustration, Chad turned to Gil, because Harry hated being ignored. “Carry him to the Lodge.  Have your uncle treat his wounds, along with a preventative tea to combat whatever he inhaled in the ocean.”</p>
<p>“My legs are <em>fine</em>,” Harry snarled, bristling like a wet cat, and Chad felt a slight crack in his patience as he rounded back on the first mate.</p>
<p>“Would you like me to <em>fix that</em>?” he snapped, forceful enough that the other crewmates who were pretending not to eavesdrop took obvious steps back. </p>
<p>Harry floundered in the wake of his open rage, and with that hesitation, Gil did the tactful thing and scooped his friend up.</p>
<p>“You’ve got it, Volker,” Gil said, using his best serious face that melted Chad’s frustration into a pile of useless goo because <em>this boy</em> – <em>ughhhhh</em>.  He was the reason Chad had to deal with Harry dipshit Hook. </p>
<p>It was.  So unfair.</p>
<p>“Come back to Bargain Castle as soon as you’re done,” Chad said, sending them off with a nod, and Gil – brilliant, loyal, wonderful Gil – set off in a march, Harry sputtering curses all the while.</p>
<p>Chad turned his attention to Jay, who was starting to shiver in the cool break of the wind.  Chad leaned forward, offering as private a conference as he could manage, given the circumstances. “Are you injured?”</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Jay dismissed, slipping back into his usual shield of smug arrogance.</p>
<p>Chad narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. “<em>Jadir</em>.”</p>
<p>Jay tensed, and a second later, his expression shifted into something more genuine. “I’m fine,” he murmured, seeming almost bashful. “It’s nothing Evie’s tonics won’t fix.”</p>
<p>“Then you’re dismissed,” Chad said, keeping his tone calm and even. “Go get cleaned up, and brief Mal on what happened.” Jay made a face, but nodded, understanding the importance of proper communication. “And Jay?” The thief perked up, though he tried hard not to show his excitement. “You did well today, precious.  Expect a reward later.”</p>
<p>It was almost… heady, to watch Jay’s eyes fall shut, a small shudder wracking through his body as he tried to contain himself.  When he opened them again, there was an obvious <em>want</em> in his eyes – predictable, but kind, and Chad fed on that, wanting to hug and offer some kind of comfort to this human that had never regularly received it, but they were still out in the open, and Chad was still Volker.</p>
<p>“…thank you,” Jay whispered, and then he was gone, dipping back into the shadows as though he’d never been there at all.</p>
<p>Chad turned his attention to Uma, who seemed impassive in all this. “Would you like to go to the Lodge, Captain?”</p>
<p>She considered this for a moment, then shook her head. “Nah,” she said, sheathing her sword. “Too much work to be done here.”</p>
<p>It was, unfortunately, true.</p>
<p>“Then let’s get started,” Chad said, waving Harriet to him, beginning to set in motion the tedious but necessary activity that was claiming additional territory.</p>
<p>There was, after all, no rest for the wicked.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad left the docks in Uma’s capable hands so he could duck back to Bargain Castle and get cleaned up, briefing a furious Mal on <em>his</em> take of the situation all the while.  She stayed bitter all the way to Jay’s room, where they found the thief curled in his bed, Evie petting a hand through his hair.  The three of them worked together to give Jay his reward, Chad telling the thief how very pretty he was, how strong and bold and dedicated, how lovely it was to see him run circles around Hook’s crew. </p>
<p>Mal and Evie were all for complimenting the son of Jafar once they realized how effective it was to taking him apart, and Jay was a truly flushed and stuttering mess by the time Evie finally eased herself onto him.  For all his flirtations, all his boasting, Jay was a lot like Chad, in that he didn’t feel worthy to touch the princess.  Evie seemed to sense this, and continuously urged him to caress her, shaking her hips to sink down on him more fully, calling him her <em>‘prince’</em>, her <em>‘knight</em>’ – Jay moaning objections all the while.</p>
<p>Eventually, Chad and Mal had to pull themselves away to do actual leadership shit, but they did manage to track down Carlos and send him to assist Evie, encouraging the two of them to pleasure Jay into oblivion, should they choose to.  Based on the pretty pink flush that dusted Carlos’ cheeks, Chad was inclined to think they would.</p>
<p>Later, when everyone was finally under one roof again, Chad caught sight of Harry – clad in dry clothing and scowling at any of his crewmates that dared to drift close to him, and that was enough to set Chad off, knowing what needed to be done.</p>
<p>“Come with me.” Chad’s tone was short at best, and Harry knew not to argue with him, following the jerk of Chad’s head until they were out in the hallway.  As soon as Chad caught a glimpse of Uma, he waved her after them too, and after a moment’s deliberation, motioned for Mal as well. </p>
<p>In his peripherals he caught Harry’s shoulders seize with tension, but Chad was too frustrated to pay it much mind.  The walk up to the lounge was silent, and neither Mal nor Uma complained when Chad locked the door behind them, not so much as shifting uneasily on their feet.</p>
<p>It took little effort for Chad to grapple Harry down to the ground, shoving his face hard against the stone with one hand while keeping his arms locked behind his back.</p>
<p>“What did you do wrong?” he asked, forcing his voice to stay detached. </p>
<p>“<em>Nothin</em>’,” Harry snarled. “I didn’t do anything <em>wrong.</em>”</p>
<p>“You didn’t?” Chad pressed his face a little harder against the stone. “You didn’t act without orders?  You didn’t strike out on your own-?”</p>
<p>“I <em>handled</em> it-”</p>
<p>“And now you’re interrupting me.” Chad was nitpicking but he was also <em>furious</em>, which made it hard to be reasonable. “Explain yourself.”</p>
<p>“There was no need to get anyone else involved,” Harry snapped, eyes wide and breath coming harsh through his nose. “I knew I could take care of it, so I did.”</p>
<p>“Without telling anyone,” Chad reminded him. “Without letting anyone know where you were going.” He tightened his grip on Harry’s arm. “You set off on a <em>one-man mission</em> where you could have easily <em>died</em> and you didn’t bother to tell anyone.” It was only through sheer force of will that Chad kept his tone level. “What have I told you, Harry?”</p>
<p>The first mate seemed to ease under this explanation, finally seeing where he’d gone awry. “We’re no good to ye dead.”</p>
<p>“You’re no good to me dead,” Chad repeated. “And if Jay hadn’t stumbled upon your happy misadventure, you <em>would</em> be.” He’d be dead, just another casualty of the Isle, and they’d never know about it.  Harry would have simply been there one day and gone the next, and that would be that. “I believe a punishment is in order.”</p>
<p>“<em>Captain</em>,” Harry groaned, his eyes searching for Uma.</p>
<p>She shook her head. “He’s right, Harry.  You made a mistake.”</p>
<p>“And that means you have to be <em>disciplined</em>,” Chad urged, voice a low threat that made Harry shiver.</p>
<p>The first mate’s gaze flickered to Mal as he gave an obligatory fight against Chad’s hold. “But, she-”</p>
<p>“It’s a <em>punishment</em>, Harry,” Chad snapped. “You’re lucky I didn’t get Jay, too.  On second thought, maybe I should-”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Harry squeezed his eyes shut. “I’ll take it, just don’t…”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad forced himself to take a breath, to calm down. “You wouldn’t want him to see how pretty you get, anyway.”</p>
<p>The comment was worth it, if only to see the pale flush begin on Harry’s cheeks, to see the way Mal and Uma perked up with interest.</p>
<p>Chad cleared his throat, releasing his hold so he could step back from Harry. “Strip.” Harry froze, as though considering a challenge, but Chad was relentless. “<em>Now</em>, Harry.”</p>
<p>Reluctantly, the pirate did as he was told.</p>
<p>“You might want to grab a seat,” Chad told the others, watching Harry begin to shuck off his coat from the corner of his eye.  In a stroke of inspiration, Chad settled down beside Uma, Mal choosing to sit on a different couch. “Were you able to recover anything from the wreck?”</p>
<p>Uma blinked, shifting her attention away from where Harry was slowly stripping out of his clothes. “Um- yes.  Gonzo and the others started salvaging lumber before the entire thing was sunk.  There were plenty of lanterns and lantern oil we were able to get as well.”</p>
<p>“We could use the lumber to build more gardens,” Mal offered, seeming to get the gist of what they were doing. “I’ll talk Evie so we can start transporting sand to the smithy tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“We’re taking over the crew’s old territory,” Uma picked up.  Before them, Harry was kicking off his shoes, a frown tugging at his lips. “Already informed the businesses of our new arrangement.”</p>
<p>“I’ll meet with Dary and get my artists to tag all of them.” Mal was twirling a strand of hair around her finger, perfectly disinterested. “Could you give me a list by tomorrow?”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Uma said, and it was amazing how well they worked together for two individuals that had been at each other’s throats only months before.  Of all the changes Chad had made on the Isle, he was most proud of this one.</p>
<p>With a frustrated exhale, Harry pushed his underwear down his legs, leaving him bare in all his glory, waiting for his punishment.</p>
<p>Chad had not forgotten him. “Hands and knees, Harry.”   </p>
<p>Scowling, Harry moved to follow the order.</p>
<p>“So,” Uma drawled, cocking her head to the side lazily. “He <em>can</em> listen.”</p>
<p>“On occasion,” Chad allowed, shifting to his feet.  He saw Harry tense as he stepped behind him, fingers curling against the floor when Chad got onto his knees.  It all seemed to fade away when Chad curled his fingers around his hips, like he’d been waiting for it.</p>
<p>“Is this what you want?” Chad asked, pulling Harry flush with his groin, watched the back of Harry’s neck begin to flood with warmth. “Would you like me to take you in front of your boss?  In front of Mal?”</p>
<p>“N-No.” Harry shook his head, though his hips twitched ever so slightly.</p>
<p>“You’re not just saying that?” Chad took his time, letting one of his hands fall to caress Harry’s inner thigh, reveling in the way it seemed to make the pirate’s pulse jump. “After all, punishments aren’t supposed to be about what <em>you</em> want.”</p>
<p>He let his hands continue to aimlessly wander over Harry’s body, caressing the curve of his hip, and the swell of his rear, the scope of his thighs in feather light movements that made him tremble.  A gasp fell from Harry’s lips when he finally got to exploring the other teen’s chest, teasing around his nipples in bare grazes that seemed to drive him wild. </p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Harry to break. “Just <em>touch</em> me.”</p>
<p>“I am touching you,” Chad said lightly, deliberately avoiding the warmth between Harry’s legs to keep delivering his insubstantial contacts.</p>
<p>“H-Harder,” Harry gasped. “<em>Punish</em> me.”</p>
<p>“I am punishing you.” He let his hand graze low on Harry’s abdomen, avoiding the part of Harry that demanded his attention the most. “It wouldn’t be a punishment if it was what you wanted, Harry.  This is supposed to teach you to think in the future.  To <em>think-</em>” He pulled Harry back up onto his knees, letting the pirate sprawl back against his chest, leaving his flushed condition obvious to Mal and Uma. “About how you came to <em>beg</em> for my touch.  Think before you go against orders, because maybe next time I won’t do you the courtesy of pulling you into the lounge, maybe I’ll just do it in the war room.” Harry’s breath caught in his throat, his hips jerking in a bid for attention. “Maybe I’ll have Jay strip you down <em>right there</em> so everyone can see how easily you fall apart.  I could put you on the table, just like this-” He squeezed the sensitive flesh of Harry’s inner thighs, coaxing his knees wider. “Maybe let them take turns touching you, but never where you want it.  Would you like that?” Chad asked, grinding against Harry’s rear.</p>
<p>The pirate whimpered.</p>
<p>“I could keep you crouched beside my desk all day like the dog you are, whining with those wide blue eyes until I <em>maybe</em> considered relieving you.  Would you like that?  Staying close to me while Jay has to work?” While Chad would never understand the two’s competitive nature, he could admit it was an effective tool, if Harry’s pleased shudders were anything to go off of.</p>
<p>“Next time,” Chad kept his voice low as he trailed his fingers down Harry’s sides. “What will you do?”</p>
<p>“I’ll- I’ll tell someone,” Harry gasped, nuzzling against Chad’s throat. “I’ll tell Uma.”</p>
<p>“<em>Because-</em>” Chad pressed, urging Harry’s hips forward without offering any kind of relief.</p>
<p>“I’m- I’m no good to ye dead,” he crooned. “P-Please, Volker-”</p>
<p>“You’re so pretty like this,” Chad purred, delighting in the way it made Harry quake, lips falling open with a weak moan. “Uma, what do you think?”</p>
<p>The captain watched the affair with a heated gaze. “…I <em>suppose</em> he’s learned his lesson.”</p>
<p>Chad turned his attention to the other spectator. “Mal?”</p>
<p>The artist made a show of considering her options, all while Harry seemed to shiver harder and harder. “I dunno, seems like he’s getting off easy.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” Chad agreed, talking over the first mate’s whine. “Do you have any suggestions?”</p>
<p>“<em>Hmm</em>.” Mal pressed her fingers together; though it was obvious she already had something in mind. “Uma did a pretty good job today, didn’t she?”</p>
<p>Chad was caught off guard by the angle, but not as much as Uma, who had to fight to regain her composure.</p>
<p>“She did,” Chad agreed.</p>
<p>“Well…” Mal tilted her head to the side innocently. “Why don’t you reward her?”</p>
<p>It was an excellent idea – Chad decided right there.  Committed to it being an excellent idea because anything less would make him fall apart.</p>
<p>Harry’s breath was coming in harsh pulls.</p>
<p>“Uma?” Chad asked, focusing his attention on Harry’s nipples. “Would you like a reward?”</p>
<p>Uma considered this.  Eventually, she nodded. “Okay.”</p>
<p>“<em>Captain-</em>” Harry hissed, but Uma cut him off with a rough shake of her head.</p>
<p>“Silence,” she ordered. “You’re being disciplined.  You don’t get to talk.”</p>
<p>“Nope,” Chad agreed, squeezing Harry’s thighs one last time before nodding him over to Mal. “Over there, Harry.  Mal needs a footrest.”</p>
<p>The first mate tensed. “I’m not-”</p>
<p>“<em>Go</em>, Harry,” Chad ordered, low and hard, and with a snarl the pirate followed his orders, crawling to Mal’s position and staying on his hands and knees so that she could kick her legs up onto his back.</p>
<p>“Aw, this is nice,” Mal mused. “Comfort and a show.”</p>
<p>“Rewards all around,” Chad agreed, ignoring Harry’s low growl.  He took off his gloves as he settled next to Uma on the couch once more, letting her slide into his lap.  “Please let me know if something is not to your liking.”</p>
<p>“Such a gentleman,” Uma cooed, gaze going half-lidded when Chad unzipped her fly, sliding his hand into her underwear with practiced ease.</p>
<p>They ignored Harry’s whine when Uma’s head fell back with pleasure, her hips moving against the firm strokes of Chad’s fingers until she was a shaky mess.  Even in this, Uma was more composed than Harry, allowing herself to curl against Chad’s chest as he diligently worked her over the edge, her legs parting wide to allow Harry a nice view.  She must have been more worked up about this than Chad had expected because it didn’t take him long to satisfy her, though he took his time easing her through the aftershocks. </p>
<p>It was, after all, a reward.</p>
<p>“Satisfied?” Chad asked when her chest was heaving with careful breaths.</p>
<p>“Almost.” She cupped his face carefully before leaning forward, pressing a chaste kiss against his mask.  Chad couldn’t really feel it, but the pressure was there and enough to make him flush, grateful for the mask that hid him from view. “<em>Now</em> I’m satisfied.”</p>
<p>And Harry was a whimpering mess, so it was a win-win.</p>
<p>“Harry,” Chad said when he was sure his voice would stay even. “You can use Mal’s leg if you’d like some relief.”</p>
<p>Mal’s face split in a delighted grin. “Yes, Harry,” she cooed, pulling her legs off the pale teen’s back and setting them down on the floor. “Come satisfy yourself like the puppy you are.”</p>
<p>“I’m not a <em>puppy</em>,” he snapped, but he still rose to his knees, cheeks heated in a furious flush as he aligned himself with Mal’s leg. </p>
<p>His hands shifted forward, maybe to rest on her thighs, when Chad cleared his throat.  “No touching,” he explained at Harry’s wounded look. “This is a punishment.”</p>
<p>The pirate let out an inarticulate sound of frustration before shifting his hips forward, rutting against the ripped fabric of Mal’s pants.</p>
<p>“There, you go,” Mal said, carding a hand through his hair. “Such a good boy.  Are you hot for Uma?  Are you hot for Volker?”</p>
<p>“Answer her, Harry,” Uma ordered, grinning as she leaned back against Chad’s chest.</p>
<p>“Y-Yes.” Harry ducked his head, the tips of his ears tinged red.</p>
<p>“Yes, what?” Mal asked, eyes wide and innocent.</p>
<p>“Yes, I’m-” He scowled. “Hot for Uma.”</p>
<p>“<em>And?</em>” Mal asked, beginning to move her leg away.</p>
<p>“H-Hot for Volker,” he snapped.</p>
<p>“Good boy,” she repeated, letting her fingers brush across his flushed cheeks. “You speak so well, when you want to.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to get them trained right,” Uma bemoaned.</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>baby</em>,” Mal cooed, grinning at Uma’s contribution. “Look how wet and flushed you are.  You’re about to come everywhere, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes, I’m gonna-” Harry bit off with a gasp. “I’m gonna come.”</p>
<p>“Just like this,” Mal urged. “Just like the good puppy you are.  Do you wanna come for Uma?  Do you wanna come for me?”</p>
<p>Harry flushed. “Y-Yes, I um-”</p>
<p>“Good taste.” Mal grinned. “Uma, you’ve got such a good puppy.”</p>
<p>“I <em>know</em>,” Uma bragged, and then Harry was falling apart.</p>
<p>He came with a choked cry, one hand pressed against his mouth as his hips shifted wildly, until he was collapsed boneless against Mal’s lap.</p>
<p>The purple-haired teen was careful with him, stroking her fingers through his hair while Chad gently shifted Uma out of his lap.  In a silent agreement, the captain followed him to Harry’s side, didn’t comment when Chad pulled him into his lap.</p>
<p>“Good job, Harry,” Chad soothed, rubbing a hand down his back while he passed Mal a handkerchief. “You did a good job, okay?  And you’ll remember?”</p>
<p>“I’ll remember,” he whispered, curling against Chad’s chest. “I’ll remember, I promise.”</p>
<p>“Then you’re good,” Uma said, caressing his flushed cheeks. “It’s over.  You did such a good job, baby.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you did,” Mal urged, voice gentler than before. “You’re good, bud.”</p>
<p>“And nothing that happens here is going to affect out <em>there</em>, okay?” Chad reminded them, though it seemed unnecessary, Uma giving him an annoyed look while Mal waved him off with a soft ‘<em>of course</em>’.</p>
<p>“Come on.” Mal hopped to her feet in an easy movement. “We can take him back to my room to get cleaned up.”</p>
<p>“Could you get the door?” Chad asked, resituating Harry in a bridal carry. “Uma, his clothes?”</p>
<p>“I’ve got it,” the captain assured, and Mal looked both ways down the hall before motioning them onwards.  She was the one to start up the bath when they got into her room, Chad settling Harry down on her purple bed.</p>
<p>“You can both get cleaned up when the bath’s full,” Mal declared when she reemerged, motioning to Harry and Uma. “That work for you?”</p>
<p>“Fine by me,” Uma said, pausing from where she was splayed across the bed next to Harry to offer her attention. “Volker, could you check on Gil?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” They all knew how anxious the blond could get, as much as he denied it. “Mal?”</p>
<p>“I’ll stay with these two, if you don’t mind,” Mal said, settling in on Harry’s other side. “Hell of a punishment, Volker.”</p>
<p>Chad shrugged, forever grateful for his mask. “It got the point across.” </p>
<p>“Fuck,” Harry hissed. “I dunno if I should straighten up or misbehave.”</p>
<p>“I wasn’t joking about the war room thing,” Chad offered.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Harry eloquently repeated.</p>
<p>“Oh, this is good,” Mal decided, petting small circles on that pale stomach. “This was a good thing.”</p>
<p>“I better be there if Jay gets punished,” Uma muttered, seeming okay with Mal’s random caresses.</p>
<p>“Only had to do that once,” Chad said quietly. “Jay responds well to constant positive reinforcement.”</p>
<p>Harry tensed. “Do ye… do ye <em>fuck</em> Jay?”</p>
<p>“Volker doesn’t fuck anyone,” Mal sighed. “It is a source of constant disappointment for me.”</p>
<p>That was a thing Chad did not know, but his focus was pulled by Harry, whose relaxed sort of pleasure was replaced with a distinct unhappiness. “Are… are we just interchangeable, to ye?”</p>
<p>Oh.  <em>Now</em> Chad got it.</p>
<p>“No, Harry,” he replied softly, motioning Uma aside so he could pull Harry into his arms, even though the first mate fought him on it. “Harry – <em>this</em> – that’s for a select few.”</p>
<p>“A select few <em>Jay’s</em> apart of,” Harry snapped.</p>
<p>“Yes.” No point in denying it. “And you.”</p>
<p>“And who else?” Harry began struggling in earnest, refusing to look at Chad. “Who else do ye <em>use-</em>”</p>
<p>“Reward,” Chad corrected. “<em>Discipline</em> – never use.” He pressed his face into the crook of Harry’s neck until he could feel the tension ease from the pirate’s body, until he was shivering again, taken off-guard by the intimacy of it. “There are few I value enough to extend such a courtesy to, Harry.  You are one of them, never doubt that.”</p>
<p>“I don’t want your pity sex,” Harry mumbled, angrily staring at his feet.</p>
<p>“We don’t have to keep doing this if you don’t want to,” Chad replied. “But I don’t give things out of pity.” He held Harry tighter to his chest, thinking of momentary flashes of terror mixed with frustration – knew he was too attached to this passionate asshole to let him go.</p>
<p>They stayed frozen like that for a few painful minutes before eventually Harry slumped against his torso, clutching onto his clothes with desperate care.</p>
<p>“…on second thought, I’ll go check on Gil,” Uma decided, rising to her feet. “Think it’s better if you stay here tonight, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Alright, Captain.” Easier to agree than anything else, and Harry shivered in his arms, seeming content with the compromise. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” Uma replied, slowly getting accustomed to basic manners.  She stroked a hand through Harry’s short hair before pressing a kiss to his head, whispering a soft goodnight that she extended to Chad and Mal for whatever reason. </p>
<p>When she left, Mal slid off the bed, checking on the bathtub. “It’s ready.”</p>
<p>“I’ll get him,” Chad decided.</p>
<p>Mal gave him an unimpressed look. “<em>We’ll</em> get him.”</p>
<p>He let Harry rest against Mal’s side while he took off his coat and gloves, rolling up his sleeves to help get to work.  Mal changed into a t-shirt (it was weird seeing something so benign on her) before he settled Harry in the tub, the two of them taking turns washing him, whispering words of encouragement and praise.</p>
<p>“You were so pretty, Harry,” Mal was saying, careful to not get suds in his eyes. “I wanted to touch you so bad.”</p>
<p>“So passionate,” Chad said. “Such a fiery, wonderful <em>darlin’</em>.”</p>
<p>“Fuck,” Harry whispered as his flush spilled down his chest, legs flexing under the water. “Fuck- <em>fuck</em>.”</p>
<p>Chad ended up giving him a hand job while Mal sucked and nipped at his lips until Harry came apart all over again.  They dressed him in some of Chad’s spare clothes and cradled him between them, something more substantial brewing. </p>
<p>Maybe it was teamwork?  Chad didn’t know.</p>
<p>He liked it, though.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“…who?” Harry asked in the late hours of the evening, just when Chad had thought the first mate had drifted off to sleep. “Can I… may I know who else-?”</p>
<p>“Carlos,” Mal interrupted before Harry could stumble his way through finding the right words. “And myself, obviously.”</p>
<p>“<em>Obviously</em>,” Harry muttered after a pause, though whatever frustration rested in the words carried a distinct weariness.</p>
<p>“I play with the princess,” Mal offered in a rare demonstration of trust – something Chad didn’t understand, though he supposed Harry <em>had</em> been incredibly vulnerable today.  Perhaps this was her way of making up for that. “But Volker doesn’t.”</p>
<p>For whatever reason, that seemed to make Harry relax. “So it’s just you, Jay, and Carlos,” he murmured, rolling the names over in his mind.</p>
<p>“Can you live with that?” Mal asked. “Live with sharing?  Because Volker’s done a lot for all of us, not just you.”</p>
<p>It was then that Chad realized the other two thought he was asleep, which explained the whispers.  This was a belief Chad decided to perpetuate, maintaining his slow and steady breaths to gather more information.</p>
<p>“But it’s no one else?” Harry pressed.  “Like Hedvig-”</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>,” Mal scoffed, her fingers curling into the fabric of Chad’s shirt. “Volker only spends time with Hedvig to train and strategize.  He doesn’t play chess with her or make her coats or murder her mom.  He didn’t rescue her from a kidnapping attempt.” Her head shifted against Chad’s shoulder. “It can be hard to see sometimes, because he’s so practical, but he seeks us out.  And it’s when he seeks us out for no discernable constructive reason that you know he likes you.  That’s how it works.”</p>
<p>“But… aside from <em>discipline-</em>”</p>
<p>“Come on, Harry, you’ve seen his history of past behavior, same as me,” Mal drawled. “Don’t question your place in the world now.”</p>
<p>“But he spends so much time with Gilly.”</p>
<p>“Gil is like, pure sunshine,” Mal pointed out. “And this is coming from me, but it is almost impossible not to like him.  Of course Volker spends time with him – Gil isn’t complicated.  You know that.”</p>
<p>“…yes, I suppose I do,” Harry murmured, curling closer to Chad’s side.</p>
<p>“We’re not,” Mal continued. “Which makes us trickier to navigate.”</p>
<p>“But how do I-?” Harry cut himself off with a sigh. “How do I… get the <em>uncomplicated</em> stuff without seeming desperate?”</p>
<p>“Talk it out with Uma,” Mal advised, which was such a startling suggestion from <em>her</em> that Chad nearly flinched and gave his eavesdropping away. “‘Cuz Volker’s not going to do <em>shit</em> without her permission, okay?  He’s respectful like that.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” It was likely Chad’s imagination, but Harry seemed a bit dreamy when he said it – or maybe distracted.  That seemed more likely.</p>
<p>“If she gives you the all clear, then maybe you can deliver the protection money over.  That’d give you a reason to actually be at the castle.  Then maybe you could stay for dinner.  Or you could drop by the Lodge when he’s making an inspection – just follow Gil over when he visits, half of the time Volker will be there then.”</p>
<p>“Why are you helping me?” Harry asked, as though belatedly realizing the two of them had crossed a line few VKs ever indulged.</p>
<p>“You’re Volker’s,” Mal explained with straightforward ruthlessness. “And I’m Volker’s partner.  Whatever belongs to him, belongs to me, which means…” She reached over, tracing a finger down Harry’s shoulder. “That you’ve got <em>three</em> masters, now.”</p>
<p>“N-No…” Harry growled, but the shiver of interest that grabbed hold of his body gave him away.</p>
<p>“Oh, yes you do, my little <em>pup</em>.” Chad could hear the grin in Mal’s voice. “I’ve allowed your private ‘discipline’ sessions to go on for long enough.  That was a generosity.  But now that I’ve realized how cool your boss is, well…”</p>
<p>Harry tensed. “What do ye want with Uma?”</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Mal giggled. “But to set our past stupidities aside and rule the Isle like the badasses we are.” Her hand drifted up to cup Harry’s cheek. “I mean, she <em>does</em> have good taste in puppies.  She can’t be that bad.”</p>
<p>Harry let out a sharp breath. “I’m not a-”</p>
<p>“Don’t wake him up,” Mal warned, the levity from her voice vanished to make way for the sharp threat.  “Embrace who you are, Hook.  And embrace who you belong to.”</p>
<p>The first mate said nothing after that, jerking softly out of Mal’s reach before burying himself against Chad, as though the blond’s body could offer him a form of solace from his frustrations.  Mal, having filled her quota for asserting her authority, fell into a pleased silence, her body totally relaxed as she settled against Chad.  </p>
<p>He would have to keep tabs on this situation to see where it developed, but Chad had already known that Mal and Harry were an explosion waiting to happen.  This experience had been inevitable from the start – now all Chad could do was try to mitigate the fallout as best he could.</p>
<p>And it had all started because Harry wanted to spend more time with <em>Chad</em> outside of sex.  Which was… not how Chad thought that would go.</p>
<p>That just went to show the unpredictability of the Isle.  Even now it was throwing Chad curveballs.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey, guys!!! Thanks so much for the continued feedback and support for this story!!  It, and your excitement, is always greatly appreciated ^_^</p>
<p>And check it, GoddessMillenia wrote a fun ‘what if’ for how Carlos could have possibly put in his birthday request to Volker.  The link should be below.  There’s some great laughs in there, so check it out if you’re looking for a smile :)</p>
<p>And seriously, if any of you guys feel inspired by my stories and want to play around in a particular verse or with a particular concept, go for it.  Have fun!  Gimme a shoutout in the endnotes, but otherwise, let your creative spirits fly free.  We have such an awesome Descendants community here, so I’m all for building that up.  If inspiration is feeling kind, why not follow it?  </p>
<p>Okay, that’s my peptalk done for the day, now to move on to the very minimal story notes, lol ;D</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>Oblivious Chad is oblivious, what can I say?</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. An Explosive Connection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One of the good things to come from Harry’s punishment was the blossoming friendship between Mal and Uma.  The two seemed closer to understanding each other, and with that came a certain amount of respect.  They bonded from having magic-inclined mothers and troops of children that they had to take care of, both coming to a level of admiration that had Mal pulling Uma into her lunches with Evie so they could discuss the stupidity of boys together. </p>
<p>Chad didn’t blame them.  In fact, he was more than happy for this development.  Uma and Mal being <em>friends</em> made them work better, which meant the stupid posturing was now entirely reserved for Jay and Harry, who never failed to rise to the challenge everyone else would rather they ignore.</p>
<p>And honestly, Chad would have thought he’d hallucinated the entire conversation between Mal and Harry if he didn’t slowly but surely come to see more of the first mate.  Like Mal had suggested, Harry started bringing over the docks’ collection money around dinner time, and just about always stayed to eat with them in the small dining hall.  Evie latched onto his presence eagerly – as Harry had some minor sewing skills himself – and it was sort of a treat to watch the first mate befriend the princess, much to his own confusion over the matter. </p>
<p>Harry also showed up at the Lodge, often on Gil’s heels, and he would chime in his own two cents when Gil was giving Chad an excited recap of their day. </p>
<p>Normally, Chad would have been wary of the change in behavior, but with the memory of Harry’s pleading voice in his mind, he reacted to the changes as casually as possible, accepting new doses of Harry into his life even if he didn’t necessarily understand them. </p>
<p>He thought it was everything that the first mate wanted, and yet-</p>
<p>And yet, something was still settling uneasily on the young Hook’s shoulders.  With every passing day, his posture became a little more tense, his frown deeper, and it wasn’t until Chad heard Mal and Uma’s muffled laughter echoing down the hall that he was able to determine a <em>slight</em> reason for this anger.</p>
<p>And then, Harry made a choice.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>There was a distinct amount of gall when Harry slunk into his next appointed ‘session’, shoulders squared and jaw tight when he slid into the room.  He kept his gaze hard on Chad’s when the door didn’t shut behind him, when Gil followed shyly on his heels.</p>
<p>So that was how it was going to be, then.</p>
<p>“Lock the door,” Chad said, didn’t rise to Harry’s obvious bait even with Gil standing so innocently beside him.</p>
<p>The second mate scrambled to follow the order, unaware of the staring contest going on between the other two. “Hey, Volker.  Harry said I could watch his punishment so I’d know why you don’t give me any.”</p>
<p>“Did he, now?” Chad kept his voice deceptively calm. “What a rare stroke of genius from Harry.” Before the first mate could snarl some kind of response, Chad fixed his attention on Gil. “Things could get a little aggressive, Gil.  Are you prepared for that?”</p>
<p>Gil nodded. “Yeah, it’s okay.  I promise I won’t um- interrupt or anything.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Chad gave a slow nod of approval. “Why don’t you go ahead and take a seat, then?”</p>
<p>He watched Gil move in his peripherals, keeping his eyes locked on Harry’s tense body, that cold gaze that glared at him in challenge.  It was obvious that Harry wanted to shake Chad, was calling him to bluff with Gil as his audience, but what Harry hadn’t realized was that he’d merely given Chad another tool to break him apart.  It was one he was glad to use, if only to level the playing field, to make Harry think twice before acting out in the future. </p>
<p>The first mate’s pulse seemed to pick up when Chad strolled towards him, hooking a finger through his belt loops before dragging him over to the couch across from Gil.  A furious blush spilled across Harry’s cheeks when Chad unzipped his pants, weight shifting uneasily before he froze altogether, confused when Chad took a seat on the couch.</p>
<p>He wasn’t prepared for Chad to drag him down with him, trip him so that he was splayed out on his stomach, stretched across Chad’s lap.  Chad wasted no time twisting his arms up behind his back and holding them with one hand, using the other to yank the pirate’s pants and underwear down until he was bared to the room.</p>
<p>“You’ve been bad, Harry,” Chad began, voice a low threat. “You know that acting out requires punishment, don’t you?”</p>
<p>“What are ye doing?” Harry asked, confusion mixed with anxiety as he squirmed in Chad’s grip. “What-”</p>
<p>Chad smacked down – <em>hard</em>.</p>
<p>Harry groaned.</p>
<p>“You’ve been bad,” the prince repeated, keeping up a steady tempo of spanks while Harry tried to thrash away. “But it’s kind of you to let Gil know what he’s missing.” The tips of his fingers began to sting from the effort, but it had nothing on Harry’s reddened skin. “I know this must be embarrassing for you.”</p>
<p>“W-Wait,” Harry moaned, dark flush spilling down his neck.</p>
<p>“Do you want me to stop?” Chad asked, shifting his thigh pointedly.  He could already feel Harry’s prominent interest grinding against him, the hips that rutted down almost on reflex, Chad the only thing hiding this predicament from Gil. “I’d have to find some other way to punish you-” He began turning the pirate’s hips slowly, as though about to flip Harry on his back.</p>
<p>“N-No.” Harry shook his head, shifting into his original position with a rough grind. “Keep going.”</p>
<p>“So brave,” Chad drawled, spanking him again.  “You’ve been so aggressive lately, Harry.  Is this what you wanted?” There was another resounding <em>smack</em>. “You know you don’t have to act out for my attention.”</p>
<p>“I don’t <em>need</em> your bloody attention!” Harry snarled, flexing against his grip.  That was a direct contrast to his new behavior, so Chad held tight, and made the next blow a little harder.</p>
<p>“Everyone needs attention, Harry.” Chad neatly sidestepped the conversation. “Have you been unsatisfied lately?  Is this about Uma hanging out with Mal?”</p>
<p>A <em>snarl</em>, and Harry thrashed so hard Chad almost lost his grip, only managed to contain him with a particularly pointed <em>spank</em>.</p>
<p>“Harry,” Chad sighed. “You’ll always be Uma’s number one.”</p>
<p>“She doesn’t <em>need</em> Mal,” Harry shot back.  Across the room, Gil looked particularly anxious, but they both had to ignore him.  Harry was wound up like a clock, close to falling apart completely.</p>
<p>“But if she <em>wants</em> her, she can have her, can’t she?” Chad asked, knowing Harry disagreed. “It doesn’t mean she loves you less.”</p>
<p>“We don’t <em>love-</em>” Harry growled, flush spilling across his cheeks, the very idea of it terrifying. “Ye changed things that didn’t need to be changed.”</p>
<p>“It wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t disobeyed orders,” Chad noted, the pieces falling into place. “That’s why you’re so mad at yourself.”</p>
<p>Harry chose not to respond, simply snarling his frustration against the couch. </p>
<p>Chad stopped his efforts, letting his hand sooth the abused skin of Harry’s rear while the first mate simmered in his unhappiness.  After a beat, he allowed his own annoyance to fade away, the unease he’d felt when Harry had brought Gil along.  The first mate had intentionally tried to throw Chad off his game so he’d be more focused on the <em>punishment</em> part of Harry’s discipline rather than getting down to the actual root of the issue, telling Gil everything he needed to hear to prompt Chad into a proper rage.  It had almost even worked.</p>
<p>With a sigh, he let go of Harry’s arms, shifting the first mate until he was properly curled into his lap.  He ignored Harry’s protests as his obvious need became exposed, Gil’s eyes going almost comically wide when he realized how aroused Harry was.</p>
<p>“She likes you too, you know,” Chad said quietly, curling an arm around Harry’s waist and letting him settle against his chest. “Mal, I mean.  She’d spend time with you too if you gave her a chance.”</p>
<p>Harry shook his head stubbornly, embarrassed and refusing to look at either of them. “I don’t <em>need</em> her.”</p>
<p>And he was unsettled by being claimed by her – maybe it was attention he didn’t trust, but he was shaky and teetering on the edge of panic over it.</p>
<p>“But you want her,” Chad continued, letting his hand trail between Harry’s legs to stroke him carefully, Gil letting out a small gasp. “You liked the attention but don’t like how you got it.”</p>
<p>Obstinate fingers twisted in the fabric of his coat. “I’m not a pup.  I’m not <em>Carlos</em>.”</p>
<p>“You don’t want to be treated like glass,” Chad mused. “But everyone deserves to be pampered.  Like now.” He moved his hand a little faster. “Do you like that?”</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” the pirate hissed, his hips moving into the attention. “This is- <em>punish</em> me.”</p>
<p>“I am punishing you.” It was just that when it came to Harry, that had to be accomplished different ways. “Gil?”</p>
<p>The blond blinked out of his awed like reverie, a flush spilling across his strong cheekbones. “Um- yeah?”</p>
<p>“Could you help me?” Chad asked, nodding towards Harry’s prominent need. “Take everything off your hands, first.”</p>
<p>“Ye don’t need help,” Harry whined, struggling weakly in Chad’s hold even as he eyed Gil’s enthusiastic approach, the second mate scrambling to rid himself of his rings and gloves. “<em>Volker</em>.”</p>
<p>“Punishment,” Chad reminded him lightly. “This is a safe space, Harry.  You can tell me what you need rather than trying to prompt some kind of reaction from me.” Harry’s breath caught when Gil’s thick fingers moved to join Chad’s, the prince allowing him to fumble through his efforts to prolong Harry’s suffering. “And if you need attention or reassurance-”</p>
<p>“I don’t need-”</p>
<p>“Then I’ll give it to you,” Chad spoke over him. “Because you work hard, and you deserve it.”</p>
<p>“<em>Woah</em>,” Gil breathed, watching Harry with an intense fascination that made the first mate groan. “<em>Wow</em>, Harry.”</p>
<p>“Y-Ye can’t tell Uma,” Harry gasped, and it took a moment for Chad to realize this was aimed at him rather than Gil.</p>
<p>“Why?” he asked. “Because then she’d realize that you were what brought Gil here in the first place?”</p>
<p>Harry’s dark flush was enough of an answer for him. “We’re not supposed to get Gil involved in this stuff.”</p>
<p>Gil frowned, those clumsy fingers never stopping their efforts. “Why?  I want to be able to help you, Harry.”</p>
<p>“<em>Gil</em>,” the first mate groaned.</p>
<p>“I mean,” Gil sighed. “I know I’m not very good at it, but I like it when you feel good.”</p>
<p>“You can only get better with practice,” Chad said, feeling a stroke of genius strike him. “You should practice on Harry once a night, maybe it will make him less tense.”</p>
<p>Harry scowled. “Now, <em>see</em> here-”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Gil said, smiling brightly. “I can do that.”</p>
<p>Chad grinned beneath his mask. “I thought you might.”    </p>
<p>This was a good move, in the long run.  Gil could never be Chad’s, not while they were here, but Chad could at least get him something worth cherishing, something with someone strong and passionate like Harry. </p>
<p>If Uma wanted to complain about it, she could come to Chad.  He’d be willing to hear out her arguments.</p>
<p>“See this, Gil?” Chad asked, moving Gil’s hand faster. “He’s about to fall apart.”</p>
<p>“Is he?” Gil asked, leaning closer to get a better view.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah.” Chad grinned. “Harry, chant Gil’s name.”</p>
<p>Harry flushed. “I’m not-”</p>
<p>“<em>Harry</em>.” Chad dropped his voice to more sinister levels. “Gil’s <em>name</em>.”</p>
<p>“G-Gilly,” the first mate gasped. “Gil.  Gil.  Gil, I’m gonna- Gilly, I-”</p>
<p>Chad guided both of them through Harry’s release, letting the first mate tremble and fall apart against Chad’s chest. </p>
<p>“<em>Wow</em>,” Gil said again when it was all over. “And I have to do that once a night?”</p>
<p>“At least,” Chad said over Harry’s whine. “You can do more, if you want.  You can only get better with practice.”</p>
<p>“And then Harry will be relaxed and happy again,” Gil decided. “At least, as relaxed as he ever gets.”</p>
<p>It said something, that Gil was at least aware of that much.</p>
<p>Chad laughed. “You did well, Gil.” After a beat, he pressed a mask-covered kiss to Harry’s crown. “You too, Hook.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” the first mate muttered. “Fucking shit.  Should have known.”</p>
<p>“You should have,” Chad agreed, pleased by the way things had turned out.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Heard you taught my second mate a new skill,” Uma began conversationally, pretending to scan the maps Chad had spread out for their meeting. “Told him to practice on Harry <em>every night</em>.”</p>
<p>“Oh, did he?” Mal perked up, never one to miss out on gossip. “This I’ve got to hear.”</p>
<p>“You should.” Uma smirked. “Walls on the Lost Revenge aren’t as thick as Harry seems to think they are.”</p>
<p>“You upset?” Chad asked over Mal’s cackle, because he cared about Uma’s opinion, didn’t want to undercut her authority even if Harry was being a particular shit.</p>
<p>“Nah.” She waved him off. “You got Harry to stop snapping at everyone he sees.”</p>
<p>“Which is a gift to us all,” Mal cooed, pressing a hand against her chest. “Man, I wish I could see it.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you could if you asked Gil nice enough,” Chad offered. “He’s very enthusiastic.”</p>
<p>“He’s something, all right,” Uma drawled, but there was a smile on her lips that could only be sincere, delighted by this turn of events. “But you know what?  I think we all deserve a treat.”</p>
<p>“Then ask him,” Chad said, as though his heart didn’t pound faster at the thought of it.</p>
<p>“We can do it in my room,” Mal offered. “Thicker walls, running water in the near vicinity...”</p>
<p>Uma nodded. “Done.”</p>
<p>“Do it tomorrow afternoon,” Chad ordered.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, we get it.” Uma rolled her eyes. “Gotta have an unpredictable schedule.  You joining us?”</p>
<p>“It’s a tempting offer,” Chad admitted. “But I’ve got other department heads that will require my attention to stave off any envy.”</p>
<p>“You gonna put on a show for Evie?” Mal asked, curiosity peaked. “Since she’s too sacred for you to touch?”</p>
<p>“She’s a princess.” Chad wasn’t sure why they had to keep having this conversation.</p>
<p>“So maybe you should give her royal highness what she wants,” Uma tried. “And that’s coming from me.”</p>
<p>“We’ll see.” It was Chad’s best way of not-committing.  Neither Mal nor Uma was much impressed by it. “Now focus, we’ll have time for leisure later.”</p>
<p>“Tomorrow afternoon,” Mal whispered, sharing a low five with Uma.</p>
<p>At least they were friends now.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>He wasn’t surprised when Harry found him the next evening, snarling up a storm.</p>
<p>“They all wanted to <em>practice</em>,” Harry growled, annoyed enough to approach Chad, but not nearly frustrated enough to begin a physical confrontation.  Ultimately, he was pleased with the situation, though he couldn’t say as much. “Ye’ve ruined me.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” Chad offered simply, grinning at the inarticulate sound of rage it earned him before Harry was storming away. </p>
<p>Yeah, he’d be fine.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“What do they do?” Jay asked after one of their sparring sessions, using his forearm to wipe away the sweat gathered on his brow. “When they get together like that?”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t bother pretending not to know what Jay was referring to. “Whatever they want, I suppose.”</p>
<p>Jay frowned.  He was always a little protective of Mal, no matter how much he pretended otherwise. “…do you think I could join them?”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>This seemed to wound Jay’s soul. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Because you and Harry are determined to fight on every given occasion.  Which isn’t an issue, so long as you’re not in the same room.”</p>
<p>Jay thought about this, clearly unhappy where his ‘necessary’ behaviors had left him. “What if Harry wasn’t there?”</p>
<p>“Then you’d get Mal and Uma.” Chad took a swig from his water bottle, blocking his face with his hand before he offered it to Jay, because the thief rarely remembered to bring his own. “Uma wanted to watch the next time you get punished anyway.”</p>
<p>Jay flushed. “Then why haven’t…”</p>
<p>“What can I say; you’ve been doing well, precious.” He grinned at the way the other teen almost choked on the water, coughing but also forcing himself to swallow, desperate not to waste a drop. “But if that changes, then I guess you’ll get a reward <em>and</em> a punishment.  Alternatively-” Chad took his bottle back, tucking it into his belt. “You could just ask Mal and Uma for funky times.  Or whatever you want to call it.  You’re all capable of communication.”</p>
<p>“I’m not <em>needy</em>,” Jay hissed, because of course that was what he’d gotten from that statement.  More likely, he didn’t want to be turned down.</p>
<p>“Well, don’t use this as an excuse to act out,” Chad warned. “Or your next reward will be very far off.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ugh</em>.” Jay let his head roll back with a sigh. “Talk about a rock and a hard place.”</p>
<p>“I think you’re mostly focused on the hard place.”</p>
<p>The comment got Chad a lovely sputter, which was really all he needed for his day to improve.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Cut him some slack,” Evie advised later, when Chad told her about the exchange.  “He just got used to the idea of sharing you with Harry, now he’s losing Mal to three people-”</p>
<p>“He isn’t <em>losing</em> her,” Chad sighed. “He couldn’t lose her if he tried.”</p>
<p>For whatever reason, Mal found Jay endlessly amusing.</p>
<p>“Still,” Evie pressed. “It feels that way to him.  He’s threatened.  And until he gets over that, he’s going to be very stupid.”</p>
<p>“As opposed to his regular amount of stupid,” Chad groaned, but then Evie was laughing, so he figured at least part of the evening was okay.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it was not Harry alone that seemed to be struggling with the growing friendship between Mal and Uma.  No, that would make things easy, but of course Jay was particular, forever competing with Harry on all levels, and the idea of losing Mal to two of the pirates seemed to grate on him, no matter how many times Chad tried to subtly assure him that Mal would always care for him as well.</p>
<p>Jay’s skull was as thick as a rock, so <em>of course</em> none of these words got through to him.</p>
<p>They goaded each other.</p>
<p>Well, mostly Jay goaded Harry. </p>
<p>“Need help?” he’d ask over dinner when Harry described a minor complication in his collections run – a seemingly generous offer, until he finished it with, “-since you’re not very good at sealing the deal <em>alone</em>.”</p>
<p>“Jay,” Mal would say with a roll of her eyes, prodding at his forehead. “Don’t make us regret giving you those rewards.”</p>
<p>“I earned those,” Jay said, sending a knowing look to Chad, who couldn’t exactly argue with him, because he <em>had</em> earned them.</p>
<p>At Mal’s annoyed look, Chad sighed. “He did save Harry.”</p>
<p>Of course, that made Harry bristle, as though <em>he had not been there</em>. </p>
<p>There wasn’t exactly an ‘officer’s gym’, as it were, but they did come to set aside an upper hall of the castle that sort of became a private training facility for Chad and his department heads, and more than once he’d found Harry and Jay going at each other, progressing past a friendly round of sparring as they snarled out their frustrations.</p>
<p>“Did ye see Mal last night?” Harry drawled, gaze wide, bordering on manic. “Nah, ye didn’t, cuz she was in <em>my bed</em>.”</p>
<p>“Shut it, Hook,” Jay snapped, Harry cackling as he ducked under his wild punch. “She was probably doing a favor for Uma, you know, your significantly hotter <em>boss</em>.”</p>
<p>“Don’t talk about the captain that way!” Harry would snarl, and then Chad would have to intercede before they actually drew blood, sending them both tumbling to the ground with a weary sigh.</p>
<p>“Harry, get back to the ship,” Chad said, tired. “Jay, go to Evie, but no rewards tonight.”</p>
<p>Jay tensed. “But-”</p>
<p>“<em>Go</em>,” Chad said, knowing the orders gave the parting illusion that Harry was getting the better deal, were it not for the fact that Uma was definitely at Hell Hall with Mal and Carlos, reviewing the property for potential uses.</p>
<p>Things continued to devolve in dumb, petty ways. </p>
<p>Jay didn’t have permission to ‘get rewards’ with Uma and hadn’t worked up the courage to ask for it, but Gil was easygoing and blissfully amendable to anything, so Jay discovered that he could punish Harry by depriving the first mate of his best friend whenever Harry was hanging out with Mal or Uma. </p>
<p>Harry would go out of his way to linger in Chad or Mal’s offices, curled up beside their seats and letting his head rest in their laps, and Jay would get seemingly jealous of this despite the fact that it could also be his if he just <em>asked</em> for it. </p>
<p>They would snipe at each other during the department head meetings where Harry was present to give his report of the money collections.  They would snipe at each other at dinner, when they were sparring, <em>all the damn time</em>.</p>
<p>Chad knew it was a problem that needed to be addressed, but between all his projects – building new greenhouses and improving the security system and studying his runes – he just sort of hoped the problem would resolve itself.</p>
<p>And then they blew up part of the alchemy lab.</p>
<p>It was a minor explosion, true, and no had gotten hurt, and they hadn’t lost that many chemicals, but apparently Harry had been working to replace his smoke bombs and Jay had been present for the express purpose of picking at him and then things had quite literally exploded.</p>
<p>So.</p>
<p>Obviously this was <em>Chad’s</em> problem now.</p>
<p>And in true Chad-fashion, he dealt with it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The walk to the lounge was silent, though Chad could feel the anger working under his skin like a sentient thing, desperate to lash out, to scream, to do something productive.  He’d left the army in Evie’s capable hands, Clay and Hedvig acting as her bodyguards, and had Gil stand outside the door to ensure they weren’t disturbed.  He had Mal <em>lock</em> said door because he couldn’t keep his hands steady enough to manage it, marching deep into the room before turning on the other four.</p>
<p>Knowing they were in the wrong, Harry and Jay stood before him, waiting for their punishments like the brats they were.  Uma and Mal moved to flank Chad, watching the prince with muted curiosity.</p>
<p>When Chad was sure his voice wouldn’t shake with rage, he spoke. “<em>Kneel</em>.”</p>
<p>For a moment, neither of them did anything.</p>
<p>Chad felt his hands curl into fists against his side. “You do not want me to make you kneel today, boys.  Now get on your <em>knees</em>.”</p>
<p>That, at least, seemed to strike a chord with them, each of them sliding down with as much composure as they could manage.</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “If I ask you what the actual problem is, will you tell me, or do I get to guess?” Based on the way their gazes were fixed to the floor, Chad predicted it would be the latter option.  He turned to Mal and Uma. “Do you have any ideas?”</p>
<p>“Jealousy,” Uma offered simply.</p>
<p>Harry made a noise of disagreement in his throat. “Captain-”</p>
<p>“Quiet, Harry.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “This has gone on for too long.”</p>
<p>“Jealousy,” Chad echoed.  He arched a brow at Mal. “Of what?”</p>
<p>Mal rolled her eyes. “The attention you give each of them.”</p>
<p>The two boys flushed. </p>
<p>No.  That was just- <em>no</em>.</p>
<p>“What.” Chad’s tone was devoid of all emotion, forced into a place of detachment for how little he understood the conversation.</p>
<p>Mal shrugged. “You play with both of them; they’re just upset they’re not your favorite toy.”</p>
<p>When Chad turned his gaze back on Jay and Harry, they were both blushing furiously, but made no effort to deny the accusation.</p>
<p>“<em>Finally</em>,” Uma muttered under her breath.</p>
<p>“Are you fucking-” Chad pushed out a hard breath through his nose, stalking forward slowly. “I thought I’d made it abundantly clear by now, but apparently this bears repeating.” He drew to a halt a few feet from them. “I will take whatever I want.  And if I want both of you, for <em>whatever fucking reason</em>, then I will have both of you, and I expect you not to be <em>shits</em> about it.”</p>
<p>He pressed his hands against his sides to keep from doing something stupid, like cradling their chins.</p>
<p>“I am tempted to give you nothing, but I try to be fair.” Whether or not he succeeds is another story. “You work hard, so you deserve rewards.  I like treating you, or-” He focused on Harry. “-<em>d</em><em>isciplining</em> you, but I will not give you either of these things if it continues to provide problems, so-” He stepped back, trying to get some space to think. “We’re solving this issue tonight.  Mal, Uma.” He turned back to their respective leaders. “May I request your help?”</p>
<p>“It’d be my pleasure,” Mal drawled, Uma releasing a low chuckle of agreement.</p>
<p>“Great.  Uma-” He motioned towards Jay. “Strip him.  Mal-”</p>
<p>“I’ll get pup,” she chirped, already crossing to Harry.</p>
<p>“Take your time,” he said, though she’d already seen this done once before, already knew everything that drove Harry wild. </p>
<p>Neither Jay nor Harry were pleased by this turn of events, each protective of the leader stripping the other teen, but they were quickly distracted by clever hands tugging at their clothes.  By this point, Chad knew it was rare to see anyone on the Isle without their clothing – that sort of luxury was more of an invitation for death and misfortune than anything else, so he knew Jay and Harry definitely hadn’t seen <em>each other</em> naked.  Which was likely for the best, because then they’d finally be on even, vulnerable ground, and then Chad could get <em>through</em> to them. </p>
<p>Chad sat himself down on a couch to watch the proceedings, sure to give each group equal parts of his attention.  Jay shivered under Uma’s sultry contact, shuddering each time she purposefully brushed against a sensitive plane of skin.  Harry wasn’t much better with Mal, his flush spilling down his chest, thighs quaking when she took her time easing off his pants and underwear. </p>
<p>When they were bare in all their glory, Chad took his time enjoying the view, ignoring the way they seemed to fidget.</p>
<p>“Come here,” he said eventually, when he thought they couldn’t wait any longer. </p>
<p>They scrambled to follow the command.</p>
<p>“Kneel,” he said when they got in front of him, and they did, as though eager to show who could be the most obedient. “Now, face each other.”  They tensed. “<em>Now</em>.”</p>
<p>Behind them, Mal and Uma exchanged a look that was clearly appreciative.</p>
<p>With muted frustration, the two flushed teens faced each other, only a few notable inches between them. </p>
<p>“Now,” Chad began. “Touch each other.”</p>
<p>He was met with immediate and simultaneous. “I’m not going te-” “No <em>way-</em>”</p>
<p>“Your shoulders, <em>idiots</em>,” Chad snapped, fighting to keep from rolling his eyes.  They paused, but in that hesitation he grabbed Harry’s hand and laid it on Jay’s shoulder.  After a beat, the other teen reciprocated the move in confusion. “I need you to see what I see.  Because despite how <em>very</em> infuriating you two can be, you are also my pretty treasures.”  Harry shuddered, and Jay tried to fight it, though he couldn’t hide the way his cheeks darkened. “So touch each other.”</p>
<p>It was a painfully awkward exploration, both Jay and Harry refusing to look the other in the eye, not even to establish dominance.  Their hands drifted across each other carefully, tracing firm curves of muscle, very deliberately not straying anywhere near their waists.</p>
<p>“Jay,” Chad said, when he decided the awkward examination had gone on long enough. “Put your hands on his hips.”</p>
<p>The thief followed the order, though he didn’t seem close to happy about it.</p>
<p>“Harry?” Chad pressed. “Grab his shoulders.”</p>
<p>The first mate scowled. “This is <em>stupid-</em>”</p>
<p>“It will take longer if you start talking,” Chad warned, prompting Harry into reluctant action.  When his hands were properly settled, Chad pressed onward. “Now, <em>move</em>.”</p>
<p>Jay stared at him. “You don’t mean-”</p>
<p>“I mean you’re both aroused, horny little bastards,” Chad snapped. “And I want you to put on a show, so <em>move</em>.”</p>
<p>Across the room, Mal and Uma couldn’t be happier.</p>
<p>Slowly but surely, the two of them grinded together, the aching warmth between their legs rutting against one another.  Both of them let their eyes fall closed, and Chad let them, waiting for the moment where one of them would try to take control.</p>
<p>It was Jay, of course, who made the first move, dragging Harry <em>hard</em> against him because Chad had given him the better hold.  At once, Chad twisted his fingers in that long hair and pulled until Jay’s head tilted back.</p>
<p>“You are not in charge here, <em>Jadir</em>,” Chad growled. “And <em>you-</em>” He repeated the action on Harry, tugging the short strands at the base of his neck. “-are not in charge.  <em>I</em> am in charge.  You are working together for my benefit.  Because I want you to see how very lovely the two of you are when you’re lost to the world, how pretty you get when you’re flushed and aching for release.  Uma-” Chad looked up, letting go of their hair. “Don’t you think they’re pretty?”</p>
<p>“Prettier than her highness, boss,” Uma drawled.</p>
<p>“Mal?”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah,” Mal agreed. “They’re downright <em>sinful</em>.”</p>
<p>“Stop.” Harry shook his head, though he kept moving against Jay, seeming lost to the throws of excitement. “Don’t-”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Chad interrupted. “Every time you pick a useless fight with each other, you are going to do <em>this</em>.  You are going to cherish and dote on each other until you learn to stop.” It was the only thing Chad could think of to end this useless cycle of aggression. “Anytime you want to brawl, you’re going to take it to the bedroom-” Jay let out a whine of protest. “And whether I am there or <em>not</em>,” Chad pressed. “I am in charge.  Not either of you, <em>me</em>.  And you will put on a show, just like this, for my benefit, until you learn to <em>work together</em>.”</p>
<p>There were probably stranger ways to teach teamwork, but Chad honestly hadn’t seen them, wouldn’t think this would be effective if it weren’t for the fact that these two were aggressive horndogs.</p>
<p>“And if we don’t?” Harry asked, managing a weak scowl.</p>
<p>“You think I won’t know?” Chad asked, ignoring the fact that he wasn’t omnipotent. “Forget me touching you – you want <em>Gil</em> to touch you again?” Chad asked, reveling in the look of panic on Harry’s face. “You want <em>Carlos</em> to give you the time of day?” Chad pressed, making Jay whimper again. “You’ll do it, or there will be consequences.”</p>
<p>“Consequences we’ll be glad to enforce,” Mal said, and Chad was grateful for the backup, if only because Chad didn’t actually want to deprive Gil or Carlos of these things that seemed to make them happy. </p>
<p>Hopefully the threat would work though, and Chad wouldn’t have to act on it.</p>
<p>“Damnit,” Jay hissed, grinding his hips hard against Harry’s. “F-Fine.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Harry snapped, not one to be outdone.  It didn’t take long for them to fall apart, losing themselves maybe half a second after the other, and they were pressed so close together that they managed to make a proper mess of their torsos.</p>
<p>“Great,” Chad said, standing up.  He’d had enough of this. </p>
<p>He calmly walked around the spent teens, crossing back to Mal and Uma.  He offered Uma a vial from his pocket. “Give them a break and then have each of them fuck the other.” Since Chad was pretty sure <em>that</em> was at least one of the roots of the problem. “And make sure they stretch too.”</p>
<p>“Um.” Mal flushed. “Stretch what, exactly?”</p>
<p>“…I’m also not familiar with this,” Uma admitted.</p>
<p>Chad sighed.</p>
<p><em>That</em> was how they came to relocate to Mal’s room, Chad showing each of them how to prep the other for anal sex, successfully coaching both of them through pleasure-filled completion until they were both embarrassed, flushed messes on Mal’s bed.</p>
<p>“That is what I meant by stretching,” Chad explained when the girls settled in to comfort their respective beaus. “For future reference.”</p>
<p>“Future reference- my <em>heart</em>,” Mal croaked.</p>
<p>Okay, so obviously they weren’t going to be useful anytime soon.</p>
<p>“Don’t forget to bathe them,” Chad said before deciding to make his leave.  He needed to check up on Evie and Carlos, and Gil deserved a treat for all his hard work. </p>
<p>So many things to do, so little time.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“You have made my room sexy time central.” Mal was staring at her nails when she said this, because apparently Chad had coached his upper management into being unimpressed assholes. “Since Jay and Harry are in there fucking <em>all the time</em>.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” Chad said without looking up from his paperwork.  He, too, was an unimpressed asshole.</p>
<p>“It’s not fair,” Mal grumbled, flopping into one of his guest chairs.  “You should give them an order to let me join them.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome to do so, if you want,” Chad dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Clear it with Uma though.  And-” He put his pencil down. “You four could just have sex without it being a punishment.”</p>
<p>“Pretty sure that’s what Jay and Harry took your order for.” Which, come to think of it, they probably did. “But, you know, now you gave them an excuse.”</p>
<p>“I’m a good boss,” Chad decided, because it seemed like these guys needed to be <em>reminded</em> of that sometimes.</p>
<p>It was worth it when Mal offered him a smile. “Yeah, you are.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad had a sort of peripheral awareness that unleashing the floodgate that was Jay and Harry’s sexual tension with each other would allow the weird polygamist… <em>thing</em> they had to branch out into a hodgepodge that he could only hope didn’t blow up in their faces.  He was sure to review the basic rules with everyone involved as often as he could without coming off as overbearing, though everyone <em>seemed</em> to be doing fine. </p>
<p>Gil’s practice with Harry had led to him ‘practicing’ on Mal and Uma and inevitably making out with Jay, and of course Evie and Carlos were quick to follow, because ever since the ‘informal meeting’ thing Evie had been quick to nip activities she was left out of in the bud.  Chad wasn’t sure if Harry’s ‘anger management’ sessions with Jay were what led to him seeking Evie’s company, likely at the go ahead of his captain, but what Evie claimed she shared with Carlos.  Chad didn’t get much information on Carlos and Harry’s alone time, only saw the aftermath by way of Carlos’ brilliant flush and slightly dreamy expression combined with Harry’s proud grin, and Uma, Mal, <em>and</em> Evie seemed to think that situation was okay so he didn’t touch base on it.</p>
<p>As a result of improving relations, sometimes Evie, Jay, and Carlos would take turns spending the night at the Lost Revenge before coming back with the morning patrol.  Sometimes Uma would let her boys stay at the castle, or she would leave Harry behind to mind the ship so she could conquer Evie’s bed herself, or on a rare occasion, both of them would torture Jay into a land of helpless ecstasy. </p>
<p>Chad himself tried not to allow it to overlap too much.  As much as he would like to give into exchanging open affection, he still had to be the boss, be unshakable and strong.  It meant he had to keep himself apart from the others – at least as much as they allowed it.  He tried to keep his ‘rewards’ delivered individually, and didn’t engage unless he had to.  He hadn’t ‘rewarded’ Uma since Harry’s first actual punishment, and he never dared to touch Evie or Gil – which only left him with four others to juggle like the proper lunatic he was.</p>
<p>Still, this seemed to be a good thing.  He just hoped it stayed that way.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>For the record, Chad stumbled upon them by accident.</p>
<p>Which was likely the only way he would have discovered this <em>development</em>, because in his effort to maintain an unpredictable schedule for where he slept, his quarters were left predictably empty a few nights every week. </p>
<p>Chad hadn’t even been coming from the doorway, choosing to scale the outside of the castle just to test his climbing skills and then have a minor heart attack on his windowsill when he caught Evie moaning against his mattress, legs spread wide while someone wearing <em>his</em> clothes proceeded to have intimate relations with her. It was only the familiar snarl of Harry’s DunBroch accent that kept Chad’s hand off his axe handle, and it took his brain a few terribly prolonged seconds to realize it was <em>Harry</em> wearing Chad’s clothes – or at least, a version of them – eagerly pressing into the princess who crooned all the while.</p>
<p>“Lovely, my princess,” Harry gasped, holding onto his composure by what seemed to be bare shreds. “So beautiful, so <em>wise</em>.  I’d make ye my queen, had I but a kingdom to give you.”</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” Evie moaned, legs wrapping around Harry’s waist while one hand drifted towards his mask-covered cheek, giving him a tender caress that made him shiver. “It’s so good.”</p>
<p>“<em>You’re</em> so good,” Harry pressed, tilting their foreheads together. “So clever and ruthless and <em>perfect</em>.  I’d be stupid to neglect you, a downright fool<em>-</em>”</p>
<p>“Volker,” the princess gasped, her loose hair spilling across Chad’s pillow in silky waves. “Kiss me, <em>please-</em>”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Harry said, and it likely was no mistake that Evie closed her eyes when Harry tugged down his mask, slotting their lips together as though they’d been made for each other.</p>
<p>It made something… distant crack within Chad, hints of warning to a thing he’d long abandoned, and <em>that</em> was what made him abandon his post, deciding if Harry and Evie wanted to engage in sexual roleplay, more power to them. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Without consciously thinking about it, Chad found himself disabling the traps on Mal’s windows and climbing inside, deftly re-setting the wires behind him before taking stock of the room, which in hindsight he should have done first. </p>
<p>Mal had Carlos splayed out naked on her bed and was doing her best to tease him relentlessly, pumping slick fingers in and out of him until he was a writhing, flushed mess.  She looked up when she registered Chad’s presence, offering a triumphant grin before she set to her task with a renewed vigor that made Carlos <em>croon</em>. </p>
<p>“Volker,” she drawled, making Carlos whine when he realized they had company. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”</p>
<p>“Should we talk, or focus on our baby first?” Chad asked, already abandoning his gloves in an effort to forget what was occurring just one room over.</p>
<p>“Go ahead and talk,” Mal said, licking a stripe against Carlos’ trembling stomach. “He’ll be embarrassed now that you’re here – diverting focus will make him more at ease.”</p>
<p>“<em>Mal</em>,” Carlos whined, unsettled enough that Chad didn’t feel too out of place nuzzling against that flushed brow, offering the mild comfort that Carlos gladly melted into.</p>
<p>“You’ll spoil him,” Mal hummed, though her smile was approving as she started to nip at the curve of Carlos’ hip.</p>
<p>Chad shrugged. “He deserves it.”  All of his commanding officers, so to speak, worked very hard, but Carlos’ function was difficult to replicate.  Therefore, he deserved all the attention and adoration he could possibly get as compensation, especially when Chad wanted to make up for the absolute <em>lack</em> of affection he should have received the first fourteen years of his life. </p>
<p>“Yeah, he does,” Mal chuckled, licking at the reddened patch of skin. “Now, what do you need?”</p>
<p>“Information, if you don’t mind.” Chad laid out on Carlos’ other side, allowing one hand to fall on a trembling pectoral before the other settled between Carlos’ legs, making the young De Ville’s head fall back with a moan. “How long has Harry been dressing up like me to have sex with Evie?”</p>
<p>“How long- <em>what</em>?” Mal actually <em>stopped</em>, looking up at Chad with an expression of unhindered surprise. “Harry is doing what with Evie?”</p>
<p>“T-They roleplay,” Carlos whined, because Mal’s fingers were still very much inside him but frozen, like a stubborn taunt. “Since Volker won’t- you know.  So.”</p>
<p>“So Evie found a way to <em>get some</em>,” Mal cackled, deliberately shifting her fingers against that particular spot as a sort of thank you. “Oh, that’s clever.  I wonder how it happened.  I bet Harry was his usual dumbshit flirtatious self and tried to woo Evie into his bed, and then she found a way to get what she wanted.” She let out a happy sigh. “What a win-win.”</p>
<p>“Do you think Uma will get mad about it?” Chad asked.</p>
<p>“You’re stupid if you think Uma doesn’t know about it,” Mal huffed, giving Chad an unimpressed look. “Harry probably groveled for permission to emulate his precious <em>Volker</em>.  Bet he got those borrowed pants absolutely <em>soaked </em>before he even got Evie’s panties off.”</p>
<p>“I highly doubt it was that much of a power trip for him,” Chad drawled, switching his hand to Carlos’ other pectoral and watching him shudder when he pinched the pink nipple there.</p>
<p>“Yeah, power trip,” Mal giggled. “That is <em>totally</em> it.”</p>
<p>“Whatever.” There was clearly something else at play here but Chad wasn’t going to worry about it, turning his attention to Carlos. “Hey, can you make sure Evie knows not to let anyone else see Harry in that getup?  We don’t want to paint a target on his back.”</p>
<p>“Buddy boy,” Mal began with the laziest of drawls. “If you think I’m not taking a ride on that fake-Volker ride, you are <em>dead wrong</em>.  And Also Jay.  And probably Uma.”</p>
<p>“Anyone outside <em>you guys</em>,” Chad clarified, because his commanding officers were young, horny bastards with a penchant to lust after what they couldn’t get.</p>
<p>“I’ll- I’ll tell her,” Carlos gasped, shuddering between the two of them. “Now, please-”</p>
<p>The expression on his face when Mal swallowed him down was truly a work of art that was only rivaled by the arch of his back, Carlos absolutely falling apart with one bitter cry. </p>
<p>“That’s my sweet baby,” Mal chirped when it was over. “Now time for aftercare.”</p>
<p>“But, but <em>you-</em>” Carlos tried to protest. </p>
<p>Mal rolled her eyes, but Chad was already settled into position behind her, reaching a hand into her pants while she continued to tease Carlos’ oversensitive flesh.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry.” She grinned. “I’ll be taken care of.  Just like how <em>Evie</em> is-”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to hear about it,” Chad said in a tone that he hoped brokered no room for arguments, and he was rewarded with an audible cackle that quickly dropped off into a moan.</p>
<p>So.</p>
<p>Maybe not the strangest evening he’d had at Bargain Castle.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“You don’t ever touch me.”</p>
<p>Gil was in his room, which wouldn’t be strange save for the part where Gil normally slept on the Lost Revenge with Harry and Uma.</p>
<p>“I touch you,” Chad said, trying to determine what could be bugging Gil this time.  Wondered which of his crewmates had decided to stir the pot.</p>
<p>“No.” Gil shook his head, staring at the floor. “Touch me like- like the way you touch the others.  The way I touch Harry.”</p>
<p>Oh.  He meant intimately.</p>
<p>It was a struggle to remain impassive, because so many things about Gil made Chad struggle, and he was furious with himself over it. “I don’t touch Evie,” he pointed out carefully.</p>
<p>Gil flushed. “Evie’s a princess.” Of all Chad’s associates, Gil was the only one who seemed to take that excuse to heart. “I’m not.”</p>
<p>Chad considered the door to his room, knew that no one save Gil would dare enter without knocking.  With a tilt of his head, he beckoned Gil forward, until they were both posed by Chad’s desk. </p>
<p>Ever so slowly, he cupped Gil’s broad jaw, angling his head so Chad could murmur in his ear. “What I’m about to tell you is a secret, Gil.  Something you can’t tell Uma, something you can’t tell Harry – you can’t tell <em>anyone</em>, do you understand?”</p>
<p>There was a pause, because Gil didn’t want to commit to anything, to give an answer, before he knew it was correct.  He didn’t want to fail Chad that way, even when he felt neglected.</p>
<p>Eventually, Gil nodded. “Okay, I can keep a secret.  I promise, and not like- like a promise I’ll forget-”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to explain it to me, Gil.” Chad’s heart was thumping heavily in his chest. “I just need to know that this will stay between us.”</p>
<p>“It will.” It was so earnest that it stabbed at Chad’s chest, because he knew he didn’t deserve it.</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad knew he shouldn’t draw it out, but standing this close was as much of an intimacy as he would allow himself with Gil.  It was as close as he’d ever gotten with Ben, who was just as harmless and pure. “To me, Gil, you <em>are</em> a princess.” He paused, pulse pounding in his ears. “Do you understand?”</p>
<p>It left out so many things, but Chad hoped it got the point across.  Hoped Gil realized just how very untouchable he was to Chad.</p>
<p>The other teen shivered, quaking under Chad’s fingertips. “I… you think I’m too good to touch?”</p>
<p>“Right.” Chad kept his voice soft, because even if he couldn’t push past that boundary with Gil, Chad could give him this much. “You deserve more than me.”</p>
<p>“But I want-” Chad cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips.</p>
<p>“We don’t always get what we want,” he said simply.  Anyone here knew that better than the entirety of Auradon. “Be grateful for what you have, Gil.”</p>
<p>Gil considered this with an unhappy sigh. “…can I stay?”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Chad wouldn’t have been able to deny him if he tried. “Go ahead and settle down.  I’ll join you when I’m finished.”</p>
<p>As though Gil sharing his bed wouldn’t fit every need Chad possessed, as though seeing the blond pirate nuzzle into his pillows, contented simply with <em>being</em> there didn’t ruin Chad completely. </p>
<p>He didn’t get much work done, after that.  But he did get to have Gil in his arms, which was as close to complete as he’d gotten in a long time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey team, thanks for the continued support and feedback!!! It’s always great to hear from you, and I am forever grateful for the enthusiasm this story has received ^_^</p>
<p>Story notes: </p>
<p>Now you might be asking yourself – why don’t the girls ever get punished?  Short answer, they are entirely too smart to warrant such things.  Like, self-preservation managed to come before sex with them – good job, ladies.  Way to use your heads ;P</p>
<p>I don’t know if I ever explicitly stated it, but when Chad’s referring to his ‘department heads’, he’s mostly talking about the Core Four and the pirates. </p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Breaking the Dam</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were a few key components to Chad’s success on the Isle.  He knew one of them was never taking off his mask, but after a certain point the material got <em>stifling</em>, made Chad feel like he was in a cage within his own skin, and it made it hard to think, to breathe, which were two very important things that a leader of his respectable army needed to do.</p>
<p>So from time-to-time he would disappear, climbing out of Bargain Castle in the odd hours of the early morning.  He would retrace old steps until he was in the familiar territory of the old forest, hiking through the rough underbrush until he finally came to his cliffside clearing.  It looked out over the ocean, a gentle breeze carrying over the land until Chad could almost convince himself he was back in Auradon.  Could convince himself he was home and it was only his grandfather’s assassins who were after him instead of just everyone. </p>
<p>Everyone wanted a piece of Volker, but sometimes he just needed to be <em>Chad</em>.</p>
<p>That was what found him stripping off his jacket, tearing off his bandana and mask until he was in a loose cotton shirt.  It was strange to be this bare out here, but it helped.  It gave Chad a chance to breathe – to be nothing, for a bit.  He wondered if Uma loved watching the moon reflect off the ocean as much as he did, though he realized she likely didn’t.  Likely considered it a taunt.</p>
<p>He hoped he could show her the world one day.  At the very least, he hoped he could give her the means to see it herself, because Uma deserved it as much as the rest of them, deserved to experience the open waters and the bounty of goodness that Auradon had to offer. </p>
<p>But that was a problem for another day, for the future.  For now, he just needed to think, maybe meditate with the cool wind blowing through his hair. </p>
<p>“Why, he-<em>llo</em>, duckling.” Chad had to be truly out of it to miss Harry’s approach, considering the way the pirate seemed to be stumbling through the underbrush.  On closer inspection, Chad realized he was drunk. “Aren’t <em>ye</em> a beautiful creature?”   </p>
<p>“Harry,” Chad sighed, wondering how he would have to play this.  Between the shadows and the minimal light from the moon, there was a chance the other teen wouldn’t recognize him.</p>
<p>“Oh?” Drunk Harry perked up. “Ye know me but I can’t return the favor.” He swayed closer to Chad. “What’s ye name, dar- p-pretty?”</p>
<p>Chad forced his expression to remain impassive, even though it was obvious Harry had kept himself from saying ‘<em>darlin’</em>.  Even drunk, he knew that was Volker’s pet name to give. </p>
<p>On second thought, maybe he could have fun with this. “Kit.”</p>
<p>“Kit?” Harry wobbled within a few feet of him, seemingly unaware of the pile of Chad’s affects hidden in the shadows. “Like a fox, eh?  Well tell me, <em>Kit</em>.” So aggressive, this one. “Ye haven’t seen Volker, ‘ave you?”</p>
<p>“Volker?”</p>
<p>“Ye know.” Harry made a vague gesture with his hand. “The ruler of the Isle?  Wears a mask?  I was following him.” Harry scanned the area with unfocused eyes, and it was amazing how Chad had missed this, had missed <em>Harry</em> who was so very drunk but so very determined. “But he’s not here.”</p>
<p>“Sorry.” Chad managed a shrug. “I can’t help you.”</p>
<p>“Can’t you?” Harry wandered forward, dropping to his knees. “Sure you’re not a siren?  A vision?” His hands trailed to Chad’s hips almost reverently, and out of curiosity, Chad let them stay there. “Uma says there’s spirits in these woods.”</p>
<p>Uma didn’t like being on food protection duty – preferred patrolling the streets to anything else – so Chad wasn’t surprised she had made up stories to set her crew against the forest.</p>
<p>“Are ye one?” Harry asked, nuzzling Chad’s side. “Ye must be.  You’re too pretty to be real.  I mean-” He shook his poor, muddled head. “Uma’s pretty, and Mal and Jay- an’ Gilly-”</p>
<p>“And you?” Chad asked, getting into the character of a <em>spirit</em>, letting his fingers cup Harry’s jaw. “Are you pretty?”</p>
<p>“N-No.” The first mate buried his face in Chad’s side. “<em>No</em>.  Volker says I am, an’ Uma and Mal an’ <em>Jay</em> too, but I’m not-”</p>
<p>“I think you are,” Chad murmured, running a hand through his short, dark hair. “And I’m a spirit.”</p>
<p>“<em>Knew it</em>,” Harry hissed, clumsy fingers squeezing against Chad. “Can ye guide me?”</p>
<p>“What do you need?” Chad hadn’t realized Harry was in need of <em>guidance</em>, though he supposed if the teen was willing to get blackout drunk and stumble through the woods, there was some sort of problem.</p>
<p>“Do ye think…?” Harry trailed off as though considering his words. “De ye think I’m capable of love?  Not that stupid fairytale stuff but like- ye know, something decent?”</p>
<p>“I think anyone is capable of love,” Chad said evenly, his pulse beginning to race for some unknown reason. “And you’re part of everyone, so yes.”</p>
<p>“<em>But</em>.” Harry growled, his arms shifting to wrap around Chad’s waist, leaving him to murmur against Chad’s stomach. “What if- what if it’s more than one?  What if I love more than one?”</p>
<p>“Then you love more than one.” Chad kept moving his fingers through Harry’s dark locks, needing something to steady himself. “There’s no rule that says you can only love one person.”</p>
<p>“But-” So many protests, even if Harry seemed to get shy. “Doesn’t that- wouldn’t that make me a whore?”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Chad kept his tone firm, strong enough so that even in his drunken state Harry wouldn’t forget it. “No, it doesn’t.  It means you have a big heart.  It means you’re lucky.”</p>
<p>“Lucky,” the pirate huffed. “Ye think I’m lucky for loving Volker.” Chad froze, but Harry kept going, unaware of his shock. “Nah, I’m just one of many.  Nothin’ special, even if he deigns to touch me, I-” He shook his head. “It used to just be Uma and Gilly, and that was everything.  <em>Everything</em> I ever needed and more than I could hope for, and now it’s complicated.  I hate it.”</p>
<p>Chad kept moving a hand through his hair, until Harry was quietly shuddering against him.</p>
<p>“You’re real nice for a spirit,” he said eventually. “I’m glad I found ye.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad you found me too,” Chad said, his throat feeling tight.</p>
<p>It wasn’t love, not really.  Chad was just decent.  He gave the Isle kids respect and fairness and personal boundaries and self-love and they took these things that should have been given to them long ago and latched onto them like drowning men. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Chad said, his heart pulsing when Harry aimed wet, uncertain eyes at him. “I’m sorry you’re struggling, Harry.”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” the pirate whispered, almost reverent. “You’re so pretty and nice; of course you’re not real.”</p>
<p>“I’m real enough,” Chad offered, because it was all he could give Harry. “What I said was real.”</p>
<p>“Ye said I was <em>pretty</em>.” A flush spilled across his cheeks.</p>
<p>“And you are.” Though it would be a long time before Harry could realize as much. “You’re also brave, and loyal, and passionate.” </p>
<p>“Volker said that,” Harry said, somewhat in wonder.</p>
<p>“Then you should listen to him.” For <em>once</em>. “And maybe don’t go on late night expeditions when you’re drunk.”</p>
<p>“Jonas said I couldn’t do it,” Harry grumbled.  Again with fucking <em>Jonas</em>. “Guess he was right.”</p>
<p>“But you found me,” Chad pressed.</p>
<p>“Yeah…” Harry muttered. “I guess I did.”</p>
<p>They stayed like that for who knew how long, until Harry fell asleep where he rested.  Chad guided him to the ground carefully, laying him in the recovery position while Chad put his <em>Volker</em> gear back on.  He spared one last look towards the ocean, letting the wind brush against him, before he dragged Harry onto his shoulders in a fireman carry, trudging back towards the nearest forest base.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>With as much as Harry had drunk, it wasn’t a surprise to have him groan awake sometime later. </p>
<p>“Ah, <em>fuck</em>,” the pirate hissed, clutching his head. “What happened?”</p>
<p>“You got drunk and went for a walk,” Chad replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the spike he was whittling.  He had strategically placed himself to be as unimpressed and aloof as possible, making the severity of Harry’s situation as clear as it possibly could be. “I managed to track you down stumbling through the woods.” Slowly, Chad set his spike down to actually look at the pirate. “This is not how I enjoy spending my free time, Harry.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Harry repeated. “Fucking <em>shit</em>- Jonas.”</p>
<p>“Do me a favor and stop listening to him,” Chad declared, tucking the spike and knife into his bag before rising to his feet. “Now get up, we’ve got work to do.”</p>
<p>“Volker-” Harry tried to protest.</p>
<p>“Think of this as part one of your punishment,” Chad said, hauling the other teen to his feet. “Now <em>walk</em>.”</p>
<p>It was unfortunate that Harry and Jay were fucking on the regular; otherwise the thief would be a good tool for Chad to use in his punishment.  Guess he’d talk to Uma later; see if she had any bright ideas. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“So you found him,” Uma said when Chad dropped Harry off at the Chip Shoppe. “You’re a mess, Hook.”</p>
<p>“And Jonas is a shit again,” Chad cut in before Harry could say something he regretted. “See if you can do something about that.  And if you could think of something for the second part of his punishment, I’d appreciate it.”</p>
<p>His statement brought wolf whistles from the members of Uma’s crew that were nearby, Harry scowling under the attention.</p>
<p>“Working with a hangover isn’t bad enough?” Uma asked, playing the devil’s advocate if the quirk of her brow was anything to go off of.</p>
<p>“‘Course not,” Chad said. “The point for him is to learn, my dear.” He took her hand carefully, pressing a mask-covered kiss to her knuckles, much to the cheers of her crew. “I’ll see you later.”</p>
<p>“Sure thing, boss.” Uma offered him a lazy salute, then grabbed onto Harry’s coat, dragging him towards the backroom to wash dishes.</p>
<p>Yeah, he’d be fine.  Or, fine enough. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They decided to wait for Harry to recover before giving the rest of his punishment, so it actually took a few days for them to gather in the lounge.  In addition to Harry, Uma had also invited Mal, Jay, <em>and</em> Gil, looking especially proud of her collection when Chad locked the door behind them.</p>
<p>“Okay,” he said when he pocketed the key. “This is your show, maelstrom.  Where do you want us?”</p>
<p>Uma preened. “Could you and Mal take a seat on the couch?”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Chad held out a hand, letting Mal’s dainty fingers curl against his before he tugged her over to one of the couches.  They settled down as instructed.</p>
<p>“Harry.” She tilted her head towards them. “Go sit in Volker’s lap.”</p>
<p>Chad felt his brows rise. “I thought this was a punishment.”</p>
<p>“I’m getting there.” Uma rolled her eyes. “Just trust me.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Chad allowed. “My apologies.”</p>
<p>Harry seemed to find her order suspicious as well, though he had no objection to curling in Chad’s lap, letting his head rest against his shoulder, his legs dangling across Mal’s lap.  She rested a teasing hand around his calf, but otherwise said nothing. </p>
<p>“Gil.” The second mate perked up when he was addressed by his captain. “Could you help Jay out of his clothes, please?”</p>
<p>“<em>Uma,</em>” Harry tried to protest, but the captain simply cut him off with a wave of her hand.</p>
<p>“Yes, Uma,” Gil said, crossing to Jay with bouncing steps. “Are you okay with that?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Jay blushed, holding his hands out so Gil could take off his gloves. “I’m okay.”</p>
<p>“So thoughtful,” Mal cooed.</p>
<p>“Volker.” Uma’s gaze was knowing when it landed on him. “Do me a favor and make sure Harry can’t touch himself, would you?”</p>
<p>“You got it, Captain.” Chad took a hold of Harry’s wrists and pinned them to the small of his back, leaving the first mate slumped unhappily against him. </p>
<p>“Take your time, Gilly,” Uma said, settling down on a different chair, and Gil did. </p>
<p>The blond was diligent, careful to remove every piece of stolen jewelry, even going so far as to awkwardly fold Jay’s clothes before he set them on a nearby table.  He let Jay sit down so he could remove his boots, tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he finished his work.  By the time he was easing down Jay’s underwear, the thief was noticeably affected and blushing openly.</p>
<p>“Now, Gil,” Uma began carefully. “You know the way you help Harry out each night?”</p>
<p>Gil perked up, though in Chad’s lap Harry tensed. “Yeah, Uma.  Do you want me to, um- do that to Jay?”</p>
<p>“Yes, baby.” Uma was grinning. “Set him in your lap, would you?”</p>
<p>“Okay!”</p>
<p>Chad knew that this experience was likely both overwhelming and rewarding for Jay, who’d gotten yet another person to see him naked but that person was <em>Gil</em>, who was the epitome of no-judgement.  He paid no attention to Jay’s scars, happy to settle the thief in his lap – mimicking Harry’s position, so he could start ‘helping’ Jay.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay hissed when Gil’s hand started moving.</p>
<p>“You can touch him, if you want,” Uma offered lightly. “Just be careful.”</p>
<p>Jay nodded, taking the direction for what it was.  Slowly, he wrapped an arm around Gil’s broad shoulders, the other one pressing against the blond’s chest as though to stabilize him.</p>
<p>“What do you think, Harry?” Uma asked, keeping her gaze on the action. “Don’t you think that they’re pretty?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes,” Harry muttered, knowing better than to protest at this point.  It was obvious he was affected by the show too, his hips squirming every once and a while, though he could do nothing to relieve the pressure.</p>
<p>“Jay’s very pretty,” Gil chirped, ever earnest. “I don’t know why you had me take off his clothes though.  But like, I’m not complaining.”</p>
<p>“Didn’t want him to make a mess, Gilly,” Uma said, the epitome of sweet. “Why don’t you say some other nice things about Jay?”</p>
<p>“Okay!” Gil’s chirp drowned out Harry’s frustrated groan. “His hair is really pretty when it gets caught in the wind.  Oh, and like, when Evie puts it in a bun or pulls it back- it’s really pretty then, too.  Like, makes you look like a prince.”</p>
<p>“You hear that, Harry?” Uma grinned. “Jay looks like a <em>prince</em>.”</p>
<p>“And it’s really cool, the way you can flip and jump off of stuff,” Gil continued, moving his hand in a fast pace that left Jay gasping, his hips rutting into Gil’s touch. “I tried to do that once but I just bruised my arms.  Oh, and you’re funny.”</p>
<p>“Does he feel good?” Uma pressed.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah.” Gil grinned. “Like right now, you feel really good, Jay.”</p>
<p>“Yes he does,” Mal mused with a smirk that spoke from experience.</p>
<p>“Gil,” Jay gasped, breath coming in short pants. “I’m um-”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you’re about to lose it,” Gil agreed with a hum. “Harry gets the same way, all flushed and shuddery.  I should help out <em>both</em> of you sometime.  Then you can see what I mean.”</p>
<p>“Think he’ll be too busy moaning,” Mal muttered. </p>
<p>“Say Gil’s name, Jay,” Uma ordered. “Let him know he did a good job.”</p>
<p>“Gil,” Jay panted. “Gil, Gil, Gilly- I’m- <em>Gil</em>!”</p>
<p>He fell apart with a moan, but Gil was with him the entire way, teasing and moving against him until Jay was a whining mess, toes curling from the intense explosion of pleasure.</p>
<p>“Wow, Uma,” Gil said, seeming awed. “It’s a good thing you had me take his clothes off.”</p>
<p>“Yep.” Uma grinned.  “Here, Gilly.  Clean him up, would you?”</p>
<p>She passed her second mate a handkerchief and like everything else, Gil was diligent, cleaning the entirety of Jay’s chest and pelvis until he was clear and shaking from the attention.</p>
<p>Uma drifted over to the two of them, allowing her fingers to card through Jay’s hair. “Did you like that, Jay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Uma…” Jay gasped. “That was- thanks.”</p>
<p>“Don’t thank me,” she tutted. “Thank Gil.  In fact-” She shifted behind the couch until she was close to Gil. “Maybe you should show Gil your appreciation.  With your mouth.”</p>
<p>“We do know how Jay likes to use his mouth,” Mal quietly cackled, stroking Harry’s twitching leg.</p>
<p>“<em>Uma</em>,” the first mate hissed, flushed and frustrated, but his captain simply ignored him.</p>
<p>“Like- kissing?” Gil asked, flushing a lovely shade of pink.</p>
<p>“Not quite like that.” Uma pulled off Gil’s bandana so she could card her hand through his curls. “Jay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I can-” Jay slid to his knees carefully, motioning Gil’s legs to spread. </p>
<p>Chad could feel his hands tense on Harry’s wrists, forced himself to relax because this wasn’t the time – Gil deserved good things and he may as well get them while Chad was watching, where he could make sure everything was okay.</p>
<p>“Here.” Uma reached over the couch to undo the button of Gil’s pants, making the second mate freeze with a dark flush. “The rest you can do with your mouth.”</p>
<p>“F-Fine,” Jay muttered, as though he did not adore a challenge, as though he didn’t <em>preen</em> under their stares as he slowly dragged Gil’s zipper down with his <em>teeth</em>, making the blond stutter and quake all the while.  He made a delighted sound when he realized Gil wasn’t wearing underwear, drowning out Harry’s growl and Mal’s cackle.  The smug look on Uma’s face said that was arranged beforehand, but that didn’t matter because Gil’s head was falling back with a quiet whimper.</p>
<p>“U-Uma,” he whined, hands curling against the couch cushions. “It- he- his mouth is-”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Gilly.” She continued to pet his hair. “He just wants you to feel good.”</p>
<p>“But his mouth is-” Gil flushed, likely not believing that this could be happening.</p>
<p>“Tell me how it feels, Gilly,” Uma pressed. “This is your first time, right?”</p>
<p>Fucking <em>shit</em>.</p>
<p>At that, Harry thrashed against Chad, but he held firm even when his own pulse spiked.  Uma had said it for a reason, to goad Harry and warn Jay all in one, and maybe taunt Chad, who wanted so desperately to be between those legs.</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah,” Gil muttered. “It’s um- warm and- <em>oh</em>- I- <em>Uma</em>-”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Gil,” she soothed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Just enjoy it.”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>wow</em>,” he moaned. “Is- is it okay that he’s-?”</p>
<p>“He wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t okay, sweetheart,” Uma assured. “Maybe he just wants practice too.  Maybe you should let him practice on you.”</p>
<p>“M-Me?” Gil flushed even as Harry growled. “What about someone better like um- Volker?  Or Harry?”</p>
<p>“You are good, Gil.” Uma cut off his self-doubt with a viciousness that Chad appreciated. “You’re definitely worth Jay’s mouth.  And if he wants to practice on you-”</p>
<p>“<em>Uma</em>,” Harry hissed.</p>
<p>“Quiet, Harry,” Uma snapped. “This isn’t about you.  This is about <em>Gil</em>.”</p>
<p>And there was an unspoken agreement to let Gil have his good things, so Gil was going to <em>get</em> those good things.</p>
<p>“Uma,” Gil moaned, tilting his head into her hands. “I’m um- I’m about to- it’s gonna-”</p>
<p>“Let go, Gil,” Uma soothed. “Just let go, Jay will catch you.”</p>
<p>He did, sure enough.  Gil lost it with his head thrown back with a mewl, hips coaxed into Jay’s mouth by the thief’s clever fingers.  Between Jay and Uma, Gil was well taken care of, carried through his ecstasy until he was pliant and happy.  Only then did Jay tuck him back into his clothes, pressing a kiss to Gil’s thigh. </p>
<p>“Now,” Uma said, turning her dark gaze on Harry. “<em>Now</em> we can get to you.”   </p>
<p>“Do you know what you did wrong?” Chad asked, couldn’t hide the way his voice seemed extra gravely. </p>
<p>Harry scowled, tense enough to shatter completely. “I got drunk-”</p>
<p>“And then you went for a walk,” Chad continued. “You wandered through the woods, and who knows <em>what</em> would have happened to you if I hadn’t found you by accident.” That was the story Chad was sticking with, and he allowed his frustration and anger to carry him through. “You could have been hurt, Harry, and for what?  One of Jonas’ stupid dares?”</p>
<p>“I just-” Harry swallowed roughly, refusing to look at any of them. “I just wanted to talk to you.”</p>
<p>“Then <em>talk</em>, Harry.”</p>
<p>The first mate flushed, because it was obvious what he meant.  He’d wanted to catch Chad alone but it was difficult. </p>
<p>Chad sighed. “<em>Harry</em>.” He let go of the pirate’s wrists, shifting them so they could wrap around Chad’s shoulders, tilting his head down so he could press their foreheads together. “I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you.”</p>
<p>The pirate flushed. “Don’t-”</p>
<p>“Darlin’.” Chad pressed a clothed kiss against the curve of his neck, stayed there until Harry was trembling. “I care about you, and you work very hard.” He kept one arm wrapped around Harry’s waist while letting the other curl between his legs, palming the warm heat there. “Sometimes I get caught up in running everything, but I’d never mean to neglect you.  I don’t want to neglect any of you.” He sat back, letting Harry curl against his chest until he could feel safe, pumping his hand slowly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been more available.”</p>
<p>“You need more breaks,” Mal said quietly, shifting up onto her knees so she could wrap her arms around them. “You get so sucked into projects and ‘<em>leading by example</em>’ that you forget you need fun things.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t mean to wander,” Harry gasped, hips shifting into Chad’s touch. “But I saw ye and I thought- <em>fuck</em>, maybe I could finally get ye alone.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Chad repeated. “But please don’t do that again.  You could have been hurt.” He allowed himself to hold the first mate tighter. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”</p>
<p>Harry tensed. “B-Because I wouldn’t be useful?”</p>
<p>“Because you’d be <em>hurt</em>,” Chad pressed. “And it would be my fault.”</p>
<p>He moved to undo Harry’s pants, pulling him out of the wet confines so he could properly stroke him.</p>
<p>Chad knew what he <em>should</em> say, what he wanted to, even if he wasn’t sure if it was the wisest move.</p>
<p>Still, he was known as an airhead for a reason, he couldn’t always make good choices. “You should realize by this point that you all are more to me than mere employees.” Harry shuddered in his grip, trying to hide a sharp inhale with a groan, but Chad saw it.  Saw the way it seemed to catch all of them off guard.</p>
<p>“You don’t let us touch you,” Mal said.</p>
<p>“I’m the boss, Mal.” Chad kept his focus on Harry, on bringing him pleasure until his toes curled. “I need to keep an objective distance.  But I am fond of you.”</p>
<p>“So you give us rewards?” Uma prompted, sliding her arms around Gil’s shoulders.  Jay was still crouched before them, naked, his head resting on Gil’s knee as he watched the show.</p>
<p>“I don’t do this for anyone,” Chad said. “Just a few.”</p>
<p>“No,” Mal agreed. “The rest you make <em>arrangements</em> for, like Clay and Ginny.”</p>
<p>Fledgling crushes that he’d redirected towards each other.  Beneficial in the long run, though Chad had felt foolish doing it, as necessary as it was.</p>
<p>“I’m not the be-all end-all answer to everyone’s attraction,” Chad explained quietly. “They think they want me because I’m mysterious.  Now, if you don’t mind-” he continued before they could interrupt. “I’d like to focus on Harry.”  He pressed another kiss to the top of his head. “You’re doing great, darlin’.  So very pretty for me.”</p>
<p>“Volker,” Harry whispered, whining at a particularly hard grind. “I need- can you-”</p>
<p>“Tell me, darlin’,” Chad whispered, feeling Mal tense around him. “What do you need?”</p>
<p>“Can-?” It was so very hard for Harry to ask for something, and it was strange that it took this to get him there. “Mal um- sleeps with you sometimes.  Share’s a bed,” he corrected. “Can I- sometimes-”</p>
<p>“You can stay with me,” Chad said, reveled in the full body shudder such permission got him. “You can split time between the Lost Revenge and Bargain Castle.”</p>
<p>“Can we take turns?” Uma asked. “Hook’s not the only one who wants in your bed, you know.”</p>
<p>Chad tried not to shudder, was grateful for Mal and Harry’s presence to minimize the effect of Uma’s words. “Sure,” he decided. “But only two at a time.”</p>
<p>“Two,” Gil whispered, like he hadn’t been expecting it.</p>
<p>“We should include Carlos,” Mal decided. “And Evie.”</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “Evie’s a-”</p>
<p>“Princesses need cuddles <em>too</em>,” Mal pressed. “I don’t know why you don’t get that.”</p>
<p>“You guys could also, you know, sleep together without me,” Chad said.</p>
<p>Uma smirked. “Believe me, we do.”</p>
<p>“But we want our Volker,” Mal said, squeezing him tight. “You almost ready, Harry?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah,” Harry groaned, hips moving fast.</p>
<p>“You gonna come for us?” Mal continued sweetly. “We’re all ready for you.  We want to see you fall apart, okay darlin’?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Harry,” Uma picked up. “Just like <em>that</em>.”</p>
<p>As though he’d been waiting for permission, Harry seemed to shake apart, coming with a low moan that didn’t let up until Chad had coaxed him through the aftershocks.</p>
<p>“…your punishments are awesome, Harry,” Gil mused dreamily as Chad cleaned the first mate up. “This is way better than last time.”</p>
<p>“Last time?” Uma perked up.</p>
<p>Harry flushed a wonderful shade of red.</p>
<p>“A story for later,” Chad assured them, because they’d already covered a lot of ground that day. “You okay, darlin’?”</p>
<p>“I’m good.” Harry gave a shaky nod, legs shifting when Chad tucked him back into his clothes. “Can I kiss ye?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Chad said, realizing it actually <em>was</em> a given, wasn’t just a thing he was saying, which was weird.</p>
<p>Harry perked up, cradling his jaw carefully before pressing a kiss to his mask-covered lips.  When he pulled away, Mal was making grabby hands, turning Chad’s face so she could kiss his mask too.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Chad said when she pulled away. “Now that <em>almost</em> everyone has been satisfied…” He turned his gaze to Mal and Uma. “What would you guys like?”</p>
<p>“Harry.” Uma walked around the end of the couch to sit down. “Between my legs, please.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Uma,” the first mate gasped, moving eagerly to follow her orders.</p>
<p>“You can watch, Gilly,” Uma said as the first mate got into position. “Maybe this is something you can practice?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Uma,” Gil said, dreamy but eager, and it made Chad feel better to know that those three were taken care of.</p>
<p>“Mal?” Chad asked, cocking a brow at her. “What would you like?”</p>
<p>“Well I suppose since Jay’s all ready to go again-” The thief-in-question was already crouched before them, a telling hardness between his legs. “We could go while you watched?”</p>
<p>“It would be my pleasure.” And it wasn’t even a lie, strangely enough.  It would be nice to see Mal get satisfied, and helpful that it would be delivered by the insatiable Jay.</p>
<p>“Also mine,” Jay said, scrambling up on the couch beside them. “Mal-”</p>
<p>“<em>Foreplay</em>, you idiot,” Mal snapped, though she was grinning. “Has Volker taught you nothing?”</p>
<p>“You’re not the one who just got ravished by Gil.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I fucking <em>know</em> it too,” Mal pouted.  “Now, appease me.”</p>
<p>“Yes, your evilness.” </p>
<p>It was good, Chad decided.  Good, and definitely something he was going to keep if they got back to Auradon. Sardinia would just have to learn to deal.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They came up with a rotating system after that.  Well, Evie came up with a rotating system – an actual <em>schedule</em> that she kept under lock and key and completely rearranged each week, catering to Chad’s desire to be unpredictable in his sleeping spaces while also allowing each of them a chance to spend the night with him and each other.  There was always one group on the Lost Revenge and one at Bargain Castle – sometimes two, because Chad wasn’t comfortable hosting more than two of them in his bed, but overall it was… good.  Different.</p>
<p>Mal, Chad was used to sharing a bed with, and Harry too, on the occasion their punishment sessions got a bit intense.  Having Gil in his bed was a lot like coming home and being tortured all in one, because Gil had been the first person on the Isle he had felt comfortable enough to fall asleep with, and that was a privilege Chad had maybe allowed himself <em>twice</em>, and now he was getting it multiple times a week. </p>
<p>Carlos was shy and bashful where Jay was demanding (though that was mostly a front to cover up his own uncertainty) and Chad was proud that he’d gotten to the point where he was comfortable enough to allow Jay to sleep against his back, though most of the time he had the thief curl against his side.  There was no reason to invite unnecessary trauma.</p>
<p>Evie and Uma were likely the biggest adjustments – Evie because Chad avoided intimate situations with her like the plague and Uma because Chad felt like she had his number, and maybe she did.  Maybe she knew he was stupidly, undeniably attached to Gil.  Maybe she knew he was scared and broken.  Maybe she knew it all.</p>
<p>And still, she wanted to share a bed with him, and whether this was because her first mate had requested it or not, Chad did not know, but she was in his bed all the same.  And it was different, but nice.  Nice because sometimes they would cuddle Carlos between them, or she and Mal would each claim one of his sides, or she would tease Jay until he was a flushed and sputtering mess.</p>
<p>Like all evolutions on the Isle, Chad was wary, but tried to welcome it.  He knew this added comfort would require him to be extra dedicated in his duties, would need him to be particularly on edge when it came to scoping out potential problems.  There was no time for complacency, especially if he wanted to protect what they had. </p>
<p>For them, he would be strong.  For them, he would fight.</p>
<p>And in the meantime, he would have them in his bed. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad wasn’t jealous.</p>
<p>Jealousy was a useless emotion, and Chad preferred not to waste his time in useless endeavors.  Practically speaking, he was happy that Gil had managed to find a source of intimacy that provided him a measure of comfort, and even more grateful that the source was a group of individuals Chad had come to treasure and respect in his own way.  This was, without question, the best possible outcome for this particular situation.</p>
<p>So if Chad felt a certain… unease, that was all it was.  There was no jealousy, only mild concern, because his heart was forever bound to the care and safety of this pure human being, the same way it was tempted to care for Ben’s dumb face or Jane’s quiet kindness or Doug’s bashful nature. </p>
<p>There was a chance that Chad had a tendency to… check up on them, from time to time.  Not because he doubted the others or the enforcement of the rules he tried so hard to instill about clear communication, but because he was anxious on Gil’s behalf and this was the only way he knew to assuage that anxiety.  Also, it offered him the opportunity to test his freeclimbing skills as he traversed the outside of Bargain Castle, usually watching their moments of intimacy through dirty windows or a crack in the few secret passageways he’d managed to locate. </p>
<p>Honestly, Chad didn’t know why he did this to himself.  It always hurt in a small way, even though he knew it was for the best.  He’d never be able to give Gil what he deserved, never be able to hold himself back and be <em>Volker</em> when he was so desperate to be Chad – or not even that, really, but Kit, the name his father had given him.  The one his mother had used before her assassination, the one Jane had murmured shyly under her breath as they splayed across sun-warmed meadows, cheerfully oblivious to the cruelties of the world. Chad knew he couldn’t be with Gil the way Harry or Uma were, the way Mal and Jay got to be, so he could only watch and ache, pressing a hand to his chest and reminding himself that he was dirty and broken and wrong. </p>
<p>It was an honest relief, seeing Uma interact with Gil in the bedroom, because she was always so careful.  Harry was too, though he, like Jay, had a tendency to get worked up by his excitement, get lost to the throws of the moment and maybe push for too much when he needed to wait.  Mal could get like that too, but her stuff was all territorial, which Chad hazarded had to do with her dark Fae blood.  Evie and Carlos, of course, were perfect angels, and Chad sort of loved to watch the two of them awkwardly maneuver around Gil, who only wanted to give them the moon.  They’d trade soft kisses while being so pretty and flushed, enough so that Chad almost wanted to join them, wanted to watch up close as Evie fingered Gil wide, Carlos writhing in his lap while Gil panted out quiet and continuous ‘thank you’s.</p>
<p>It was a lot and never enough, and Chad knew it was useless but indulged himself anyway, because even he had to be stupid from time to time.  It was comforting, to watch from the safety of the shadows, to know he could sit without judgement while they cherished each other. </p>
<p>He was watching from the secret passageway that night, curled against the wall while he observed Harry and Mal dote on Gil, the blond seeming to not know what to do with his hands for either of them.  He took their attention with open gasps, shaking as he held himself up on his hands and knees.  Harry and Mal took turns stretching him open, Mal toying between his legs, with his nipples, stroking the smooth curve of his muscles. </p>
<p>“Harry,” Gil moaned, his hair falling around his shoulders in loose, pretty curls. “Harry, <em>please.</em>”</p>
<p>“In a minute, Gilly,” Harry cooed, taking extra care to make sure Gil was properly lubricated. “You’re still a little tight.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Mal soothed, dipping low to press a kiss against Gil’s lips that left him sighing happily.  When Mal pulled back, she was wearing a fond grin that made Chad’s chest hurt. “We’ll get there, I promise.  We just want to make sure you’re ready.”</p>
<p>“We’ll always take care of our Gilly,” Harry said, like a pledge, one that made Gil moan lowly, lips pulled back in a pleased smile that only grew when Mal continued to cup his cheeks and stroke his jaw.</p>
<p>“Harry,” Gil gasped, leaning thoughtlessly into her contact. “M-Mal.  Thank you-”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to thank us, sweetheart,” Mal breathed, rubbing their noses together in what was probably the cutest action ever and Chad was going to die, he was, this was death. “It’s our pleasure.”</p>
<p>“So sweet,” Harry breathed, eyes half-lidded with pleasure. “Volker knew it, when he saw ye.  Came out of the shadows <em>just</em> for ye.”</p>
<p>“<em>Harry</em>,” Gil moaned, but Mal and Harry just kept doting the blond with tiny compliments that made Chad feel warm, had him flushing with embarrassment while the analytical side of him was trying to process how best to use this information, should he use it at all.  It wouldn’t do for them to think he was so focused on Gil when he was, quite honestly, so focused on Gil-</p>
<p>“<em>What are you doing?</em>” a voice whispered right <em>next</em> to him, and it just went to show how stupid Chad could be when he watched his associates be nice and doting to each other that he totally missed Carlos’ approach, the young teen blinking at him through the gloom of the secret passageway, looking adorably dusty and intrigued, like he was every time he encountered a new problem.</p>
<p>On reflex, Chad moved to cover his mouth, and then, when he was struck with the terror that Mal may have <em>heard</em> him, Chad scooped the smaller teen up, scaling down the secret stairs with Carlos curled against him, until he found where the other teen must have accidentally stumbled into the space – a secret nook from Evie’s room.</p>
<p>The princess, of course, was over by the couch Chad had carefully repaired for her, working on what seemed to be some embroidery for one of Mal’s coats.</p>
<p>“Did you find anything?” she asked, gaze focused on her needlework, and when she looked up she paused at the sight of Chad carrying a wide-eyed Carlos, his hand still shoved against the smaller teen’s mouth.</p>
<p>It made Chad realize what a dumb picture they must make, so he hastily set Carlos down, swiftly turning around so he could shut and re-latch the hidden entrance.</p>
<p>“Ah,” Evie hummed, emanating an easy sort of amused satisfaction. “So you’ve found our esteemed leader.”</p>
<p>“What were you doing?” Carlos asked again, and it was a testament to how comfortable he was in Chad’s presence, how much he trusted him, that he didn’t mind asking Chad the question. “Were you spying on Mal?”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Evie perked up, her perfect grin widening into something infinitesimally more wicked. “Mal, who’s supposed to be with Gil and Harry tonight?”</p>
<p>“Were you-?” Carlos cut himself off with a flush, both hands pressed against his mouth as though he dare not contemplate the implications of such a statement. “Were you watching them have<em> sex?</em>”</p>
<p>There really wasn’t any way to salvage the situation, and yet, Chad tried out of obligation to his reputation, pulling his shoulders back and feeling exceedingly grateful for the mask that hid his face. “For the record, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”</p>
<p>Evie cackled.  Actually <em>cackled</em>.  She must have gotten it from Mal. “You <em>were</em>,” she laughed while Carlos flushed darker.  It was moments like these that made Chad glad that Jay had decided to stay on the Lost Revenge with Uma that night. “You were totally watching them get it on.”</p>
<p>“Why, though?” Carlos squeaked, seeming confused. “They’d let you watch if you just asked.”</p>
<p>“Are you-?” Evie perked up, setting her embroidery aside so she could face Chad head on. “Are you too shy to ask?”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Chad said, a little too quickly and a little too defensively, and then Carlos and Evie were sharing a look mixed with wonder and celebration.</p>
<p>“Huh,” Evie giggled, pressing a hand to her mouth. “So you do have a weakness after all.”</p>
<p>“A weird one,” Carlos said, still seeming confused.</p>
<p>“No matter,” Evie said, rising to her feet. “Carlos and I can put on a show for you.”</p>
<p>Chad froze at the suggestion, genuinely taken off guard by it, but unfortunately the response was noticeable enough that the smile seemed to slip off of Evie’s face.</p>
<p>“Or not,” she said, turning back towards the couch. “Sorry,” she continued, not looking at him. “I just… forgot.”</p>
<p>Beside Chad, Carlos’ expression shifted into something distinctly unhappy.</p>
<p>“Your highness.” Chad didn’t know what to say, how to comfort without further compromising himself, but for Evie, he would try.  “I… I never meant to make you feel unwanted.”</p>
<p>Evie’s shoulders tensed, and then she was turning to stare at him, the slant of her eyes hard. “You don’t?” she offered – soft, like a trap. “Then why won’t you ever touch me?”</p>
<p>He only had one answer for her, one he knew she wouldn’t like. “You’re a princess-”</p>
<p>“You make me <em>hate</em> being a princess!” she snapped, voice loud enough to make Carlos flinch.  She was immediately apologetic, crossing to the young De Ville while maintaining a distinct distance from Chad. “I know things aren’t fair here, but it’s just… hard, that the person that makes me <em>most</em> feel like a princess is the same person who doesn’t like to watch me be intimate with people.”</p>
<p>That was more out of embarrassment on Chad’s part, the blond littered with a shame he would never be able to articulate, knowing that whatever could happen between them would lessen Evie by association, and if it was cruel to deny her intimacy, it would be crueler still to burden her with it.</p>
<p>But those were not things Chad could say as Volker.</p>
<p>“I can’t give you that,” he said, slowly crossing towards the two of them, Evie looking so hurt and Carlos so small. “I’m sorry.  And I know- I know you won’t believe me when I say that has nothing to do with you, but please-” Years of studying the greatest politicians and Chad was still fumbling with his words. “Let me give you something I won’t give them.  Something that’s just <em>yours</em>, as a princess.”</p>
<p>It was an offer that likely seemed too good to be true, but still, Evie took it, nodding once before she accepted Chad’s proffered arm.  After a beat, he extended the same courtesy to Carlos, who rushed to take it.</p>
<p>It was late anyway, it hardly mattered what spectacle they might present as they walked down the hall.  It was bolstering, how these two trusted him to guide them, and that was what had Chad cutting towards the lesser-used ballroom – the one further from the dormitories and classrooms.  This one was smaller, for private affairs, and Chad had been at a loss as how to utilize it.  He supposed now it could be his and Evie’s space.</p>
<p>Chad squeezed Carlos’ hand. “Could you take a seat, please?”</p>
<p>“Sure.” The young De Ville nodded, scurrying towards one of the more intact columns before setting his back to it, watching.</p>
<p>Then it was just Chad and Evie. </p>
<p>He put some distance between them, slipping into the formalities he hadn’t had to touch on in over half a year, offering her a graceful bow before holding out his hand, silently asking her for a dance.</p>
<p>It took a moment, but eventually, Evie curtseyed, a smile stretching over her face as she took Chad’s hand, sliding into the basic ballroom position.</p>
<p>Chad started them in a waltz – something nice and easy as they got used to the feel of each other.  Then he started to get a little bit more advanced – foxtrot, tango, the Viennese waltz.  Evie shifted through each of them effortlessly, a smile stretched across her face as they floated around the ballroom without music, accompanied by only the sounds of their feet against the old marble. </p>
<p>Evie was, as expected, grace incarnate, and her giggles were effortless music to Chad’s ears.  She looked at him in wonder, trusted him to support her through a few lifts, until they had slowed down in a closer, more intimate slow dance.  The princess leaned against his shoulder, her dainty hand resting in his while he tucked an arm around her waist.</p>
<p>“…I can’t believe you know how to do this too,” she marveled, voice coming in a bare whisper.</p>
<p>“Well…” Chad allowed himself to shrug. “There may have been some books on it in the library.”</p>
<p>Granted, Chad hadn’t <em>learned</em> from those books, but what Evie didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.  If she left with the impression that Chad had put in the effort to master these dances just for <em>her</em>-</p>
<p>She looked suitably delighted, cuddling close to him with a small laugh. “And this is just for me?”</p>
<p>“Just for you, your highness,” Chad assured her, nodding his head. “Should you want it.”</p>
<p>“I want,” Evie said, just the two words, but that was more than enough.</p>
<p>Across the room, Carlos watched them with a fond smile, and somehow or other, things had gone from mortifying to sad to <em>okay</em>.  So.</p>
<p>That was just the chaos of the Isle, wasn’t it?</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“You seem to be getting along with Evie more,” Mal mentioned surreptitiously, her voice so pointedly casual that Chad <em>knew</em> it was made with intention. “More than usual, I mean.”</p>
<p>Carlos looked up from where he was tinkering with one of his generators but dutifully said nothing, because he couldn’t be prompted into violating someone’s confidence if he wasn’t directly asked about it, could he? </p>
<p>Chad considered his options carefully, because Mal was his partner.  Of everyone, Mal knew the most about him, which meant she was entitled to her fair share of knowledge.</p>
<p>Eventually, he shrugged. “We developed a deeper understanding of each other.”</p>
<p>“Did you decide to finally touch her?” Mal prompted, cutting to the heart of the issue.</p>
<p>“Not intimately,” Chad said. “I gave her a prize befitting royalty.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Mal clipped, and Chad wasn’t sure if she was impressed or just thinking. “So for the record, you’re not gonna do that with anyone else?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“It’s just for Evie,” Mal prompted. “To make up for all the sex you don’t have with her.”</p>
<p>“Pretty much,” Chad said, organizing the last of his rosters before prepping them to be sent off to Evie’s assistants.</p>
<p>“You gonna give that treat to Gil too?” Mal tried, and if she’d been fishing before, she was going all out now, hurling dynamite into the water and wondering what would come up. </p>
<p>It didn’t help that Carlos had abandoned his efforts to melt into the background to show a very obvious amount of interest, because they were all hopelessly nosy at the end of the day.</p>
<p>It forced Chad to shove away the image of spinning with Gil across the ballroom back at Sardinia castle, the young LeGume dressed in gold with a smile that was positively radiant, the most important people of the kingdom present to look on the blond with the appreciation he <em>should</em> be getting.  The appreciation Chad’s mother received.</p>
<p>But that was lunacy, and Gil didn’t know how to dance anyway, and Chad taking the time to <em>teach</em> him would likely cripple him emotionally forever, so he abandoned the thought before he could even consider it. </p>
<p>“No,” Chad drawled, keeping his expression bored. “Gil’s not royal, is he?” </p>
<p>“…suppose not,” Mal said, and that was the end of that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Except it wasn’t, because news traveled fast in their group. </p>
<p>Chad knew something was fishy when Gil made a last-minute trade with Harry to sleep in Chad’s bed despite having been there the night before.  And then Carlos, who had also been slotted for that night, decided to head down to the Lost Revenge to tighten up some of the traps that had been set up on the docks. </p>
<p>It was just Gil and Chad puttering around his bedroom, the blond being his usual bubbly self except there was <em>more</em>, now.  An almost forced cheer because Gil couldn’t do subtle.  It wasn’t who he was, it wasn’t what he was made for.  So in light of the last conversation Chad had about the other blond, he waited, knowing he would address the issue at some point. </p>
<p>Gil waited until they were actually settling in bed before he said anything.</p>
<p>“So um… you dance with Evie now, right?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Chad hummed, keeping his body from tensing through practice alone. “It’s her right as a princess.”</p>
<p>“Right.” He could see Gil nodding in his peripherals. “But um… you said that I uh- that you considered <em>me</em> a princess so um… does that mean that you’ll-”</p>
<p>“No, Gil.” Chad’s heart squeezed in his chest, but he couldn’t budge on this.  It was torture as it was, being this close to Gil without making a mistake and showing the young LeGume how very in love with him Chad was. </p>
<p>He saw Gil tense. “But…” he sounded so very <em>hurt</em>. “But you won’t… you won’t touch me <em>and</em> you won’t dance with me…”</p>
<p>“You didn’t do anything wrong, Gil,” Chad tried to soothe. “But you’re not <em>actually-</em>”</p>
<p>“But you always, you always hold yourself <em>back</em> from me,” Gil pressed, turning towards him with the sound of tears in his voice. “You give the others hugs and hair ruffles and you call them pretty names but I always- I always have to fight for it but I was your associate first, so what- what did I do wrong?  I’ll fix it if you’ll just tell me.”</p>
<p>“<em>Nothing</em>, Gil.” Chad ached for him, hated the stupid self-imposed lines he had to force into place in order to make this work. “You’ve done nothing wrong-”</p>
<p>“Am I too dumb?” Gil was crying now, small shudders that rocked through his body. “Am I not smart enough?”</p>
<p>“Gil-” Chad reached forward, trying to soothe and arm down Gil’s shoulder and cringing when the other teen flinched away.</p>
<p>“N-<em>No</em>,” Gil sobbed. “I don’t- I don’t want your pity.”</p>
<p>“It’s not pity,” Chad insisted, but Gil was becoming inconsolable.</p>
<p>“Y-You just wanted me for <em>en-entertainment,</em>” Gil gasped. “You don’t-”</p>
<p>“<em>Gil-</em>”</p>
<p>“No!” Gil shifted away from him, almost rolling off the bed.  “I’m gonna- I gotta go.  I gotta-”</p>
<p>“No, you stay,” Chad ordered, hoping the firmness in his voice would keep the pirate in place. “I’ll go get one of the others, okay?”</p>
<p>Gil’s only response was to collapse against the pillows with a rough sob, making a new wave of self-loathing crash over Chad all over again. </p>
<p>He had to force himself to leave the room, force himself to go find Evie, who he hoped wasn’t with Mal. </p>
<p>Mal was going to be pissed.  <em>Uma</em> was going to be pissed, and Chad couldn’t even fix it, because Gil was his greatest weakness. </p>
<p>Chad was allowed exactly <em>one</em> good stroke of fortune because Evie was in her room with Jay, the two of them lazily making out and reminding Chad of yet another of his deficiencies.</p>
<p>“Your highness,” Chad said, knowing he sounded detached and achingly hallow but finding himself unable to muster his usual charisma. “Could you please go to my room?  Gil needs you.”</p>
<p>Evie froze, sharing a concerned look with Jay.</p>
<p>“Actually,” Chad continued. “You should both go.”</p>
<p>“The conversation go that badly?” Jay asked, looking Chad over with an expression he’d likely refuse to label as concerned.</p>
<p>Chad ignored… everything. “Please be fast,” he said. “If you need anything, I’ll be training.”</p>
<p>“Maybe you should take a break,” Evie said carefully. “Mal and Harry are-”</p>
<p>“Busy,” Chad said with a quick shake of his head. “I’m going to work now.  Please… be quick,” he finished lamely, because it was all his scattered mind could think of.</p>
<p>With that, he retreated to the officers’ gym, working out in a way he’d mostly neglected since coming here, since he lacked the proper food source to truly replenish what he’d taken. </p>
<p>Well, what was a few hunger pangs going forward?</p>
<p>It wasn’t like he didn’t deserve it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Things were strained between Chad and Gil, after that. </p>
<p>Gil wasn’t sure of his place in Chad’s life, and Chad couldn’t <em>define</em> it for him because it would entirely breakdown the emotional barrier Chad had built between them.  Chad could handle Gil’s friendship and his platonic affection, but he couldn’t- he couldn’t taint Gil with his <em>love</em>, because the love of Sardinian kings was a poisonous thing, proven to ensnare beautiful souls and spit them out as crippled husks. </p>
<p>Chad thought about his mother, an innocent chess piece shuffled around a board she did not understand before her life was unceremoniously cut short by those that did not know her enough to hate her.  If they’d known her, she’d have lived, because Chad’s mother was pure and kind and everything that was good in the world.</p>
<p>Gil was a lot like that, and Chad could see it, could see a life where his affection led to the other’s undoing, and he couldn’t stand it.</p>
<p>Perhaps this awkwardness was a gift. </p>
<p>And then Gil had gone for a walk.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dun dun DUN</p>
<p>Seriously, those were all the story notes I had, lol.  Thank you guys so much for all the feedback and enthusiasm!!!  It’s always a relief and pleasure to see how much you enjoy what is basically a love letter to harassing Harry.  Just- brings a real tear to my eye ;D</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Too Close to Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING – Threat of sexual assault and dissociative episode prompted by past sexual trauma, see endnotes for details.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chad caught Gil by chance, the prince making one last patrol of the castle to settle his nerves before he retired for the evening – Jay and Evie likely already keeping his bed warm.</p>
<p>“You’re heading out?” Chad asked, halting Gil mid-movement, the other blond preparing to slip out the side door of Bargain Castle. “It’s a little late to try and make it to the ship.”</p>
<p>He had thought Gil was cuddling with Mal that evening, as was her preference when Uma and Harry were stuck back on the Lost Revenge, but his presence down here spoke otherwise, as did his wide-eyed expression.</p>
<p>“I’ll um… be okay,” Gil said hesitantly, as though he was worried.  For what though, Chad did not know.  He couldn’t be concerned for his own wellbeing.  Chad had never threatened to hurt him, after all.  “Most people are too scared to mess with me anyway.”</p>
<p>“It’s best not to tempt fate, Gil,” Chad cautioned quietly, not wanting to alert the guard that was making a slow patrol of the hall. “Why don’t you head back upstairs to Mal and Carlos?  They’d be glad for your company.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Gil said, almost distracted. “But um- I wanna see Uma and Harry tonight.  It’s… <em>our anniversary</em>!” he said, perking up as he shared the words, as though he was excited to have discovered them, because he was definitely lying. “Right, it’s our <em>anniversary</em> of when I met them and I lost track of time which is why I’m leaving late but I have to leave so-” He offered Chad a small wave. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”</p>
<p>Anyone else and Chad would have them on the ground by now, would be demanding an explanation for their attempted deception, but it was Gil.  Chad was tragically weak when it came to Gil on a normal day, and with the way things had been lately… he found himself second guessing his choices when it should be entirely <em>obvious</em> how he should react. </p>
<p>It was tragic.  He knew he should demand Gil stay, he should ask, but maybe Gil was planning a secret surprise – because that was a very Gil-like thing to do.  Chad didn’t want to spoil it, but he also didn’t want Gil to get <em>hurt</em>-</p>
<p>Chad grabbed him by the shoulder and tugged him back just before he could exit, making Gil’s gaze go wider. “You’ll be safe?”</p>
<p>At once, the concern melted into relieved happiness, because Gil was a creature of simple needs and even Chad couldn’t fuck that up all the time. “Of course, Volker,” he cheered. “I’m no good to you dead.”</p>
<p>“Or to anyone,” Chad stressed, hoping Gil would remember Uma and Harry and even Mal as well. </p>
<p>This earned him a happy little wave. “Of course.  Night, Volker!”</p>
<p>“Night, Gil,” Chad sighed, watching the door close behind the blond with distinct reluctance. </p>
<p>He waited thirty seconds.  A minute.</p>
<p><em>Fuck it</em>.</p>
<p>“Hey,” he grabbed the guard’s attention whenever they strolled close by. “Wake Dizzy and have her send for Mal and Jay.  She needs to tell them I’m tracking Gil down to what will hopefully be the Lost Revenge.  I’ll leaving tracking marks so they can follow – go by roof.  You got that?”</p>
<p>“Yes sir, Volker, sir,” the kid said, firing off a hasty salute before he shot off down the hall. </p>
<p>Chad would have preferred to send the kid to the others directly, but they had restricted access to the officers’ quarters for a reason.  Dizzy was one of the few that were privileged to move about the upper areas without complaint, and Chad had every intention of taking advantage of that, especially since Dizzy would be happy to jump into action – especially for Gil. </p>
<p>With that taken care of, Chad ducked out into the darkness, palming the tracking stick Evie had made for him.  It was sort of an advanced version of chalk made in the alchemy shop.  It glowed in the dark, and with their special language, Chad could guide the others to his location if need be. </p>
<p>He did what he could, climbing to the rooftops and searching for Gil’s profile, and he felt a flood of relief when he caught sight of him a few blocks away.  At least until Chad realized he was going the wrong direction.</p>
<p><em>Fuck</em>, he hated it when he was right. </p>
<p>Chad flew over the rooftops, leaving tracking marks as he went.  Gil was heading away from the docks – heading away from any part of their territory, making a distinct headway towards the Elephant Graveyard located at the base of the mountains. </p>
<p><em>Shit</em>.</p>
<p>Scar’s crew didn’t bother much with visiting the proper ‘metropolis’ of the Isle, preferring to stay to the outskirts.  His tribesmen clad themselves in the pelts of animals they had slain, which was what led to his lackies being known as the ‘hyenas’ – men and women known for their vicious hunger and insane laughter.  Orphans learned early on not to linger near the outskirts, because Scar’s crew hunted for food, and if they could not satisfy themselves with the meager animal offerings provided by the barrier, they would satisfy themselves with human flesh. </p>
<p>One of the first and most prominent lessons they taught all members of their crew was to <em>not fuck with Scar’s crew</em>.  As long as they kept to themselves, they were a bother to nobody, but with Gil seeking them out on purpose…</p>
<p>Well, it made Chad think that maybe one of them had gone for Gil, knowing he was a weak link.  It made Chad furious inside, because his attempts at maintaining a stoic distance from Gil had yielded <em>nothing</em> because somehow, he had still become a target.  Maybe it was always destined to be, but still, Chad felt helpless as he chased after the blond teen, wishing for extra speed so he could catch up with the idiot and drag him back to Bargain Castle.  Kicking and screaming, if he had to. </p>
<p>Chad paused, frustrated and useless at the last crumbling building at the edge of the wastelands, watching Gil pick his way through the rotten trees and craggily boulders that led towards the graveyard.  He had to stop and force himself to retrieve his bow, to properly string it and count his arrows, take catalogue of what explosives he had before he left one last tracking mark and stepped out into the darkness, surging into the gloom.  What horrific stupidity this was.  It was like Harry all over again, but Gil had <em>been</em> there for that.  He knew better. </p>
<p>Chad left what subtle marks he could on the boulders, though he tried not to do too much for fear of drawing attention to himself.  The graveyard was one of the few places Chad didn’t have extensive knowledge on.  He’d never set his scavengers in this direction; he’s never even had any of the vultures from Evie’s castle fly over the area for fear that they’d be shot down.  He was going in blind, which went against every instinct that he had, but it was worth it when he finally climbed atop a large selection of boulders that seemed to look over Gil’s assigned meeting place. </p>
<p>It was Scar.  Of <em>course</em> it was Scar, flanked by at least six of his hyenas, all of them holding spears and baring their teeth in manic, bloodthirsty smiles. </p>
<p>“<em>Gilbert</em>,” Scar drawled, infinitely more flamboyant than Chad would have expected from a villain, but he supposed everyone was entitled to their fair share of showmanship. “I see you decided to make the correct choice.  One pirate for the price of many doesn’t seem so bad, now does it?”</p>
<p>“N-No.” Gil’s back was to Chad, but there was no mistaking the fearful hunch of his shoulders, his voice wavering when it should be happy and sweet. “And you’ll- you’ll leave them alone?  <em>All </em>of them?”</p>
<p>“Gilbert.” Scar pressed a hand against his chest in mock offense, though he couldn’t hide the vicious smile tugging at his lips.  “I’m a lion of my word.  If I say we only want you, then you’re the only thing we need.  Now, do strip off your clothes.”</p>
<p>Gil was shaking, full body quakes that Chad could see even from a distance, but the blond didn’t fight the request, deftly removing his bandana before he let it drop to the ground.  His hands trembled when he fumbled for his belt, and the Hyenas cheered him on with low, hungry drawls that squeezed at Chad’s chest. </p>
<p>This shouldn’t be happening.  This <em>couldn’t</em> be happening – there was nothing that Scar could do that could overwhelm Chad’s defenses so <em>why</em> had Gil listened to him?  What had the other man threatened that made him this afraid? </p>
<p>“Did you have one last chat with Volker before you left?” Scar asked, making a show of studying the metal claws he had strapped to his fingers, though his gaze was really on Gil, who was slowly easing out of the shirt Evie had made him.</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah.” Gil nodded, his pretty curls spilling free. “I did just what you asked.”</p>
<p>“And he didn’t follow you?”</p>
<p>“I told you he <em>wouldn’t</em>,” Gil said with a forced kind of confidence.  Chad, who knew him better, understood this was a front, though he wasn’t sure if Gil was covering his hurt or his fear or if he was relieved by that. “He’s smart.  Smarter than <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>“Watch it, boy,” Scar growled, his hand curling into an angry fist. “It is best not to exceed the limitations of my patience.”</p>
<p>Before Gil could fumble a response, another Hyena was running up the path Gil had come from, his smile wide. “He took the bait!” the Hyena cheered. “I saw him leave the castle, but he disappeared among the rooftops.”</p>
<p>“<em>Idiot!</em>” Scar snarled. “You were supposed to follow him!”</p>
<p>“At least we know he’s here,” one of the other hyenas drawled.</p>
<p>“That’s true,” Scar said, a smile settling on his features. “Are you enjoying the view, Volker?!  How does it feel to see your precious crewmate at my mercy?!” He let his gaze rake over the shadows with a laugh before it settled on Gil again, who had frozen still upon hearing the Hyena’s news. “Who said you could stop?  Keep stripping.”</p>
<p>“I…” Gil wavered, but continued to push his pants down his legs, flushing when he realized he’d forgotten to take off his boots.  The Hyenas laughed at him when he sat in the dirt to do so, all while Chad started tying explosive pellets to his arrows, readying the first on his bow. </p>
<p>“All of it,” Scar ordered when Chad was still lining up his shot, Gil freezing when he got down to his underwear. “Did you prepare yourself like I told you to?”</p>
<p>The words made Chad’s blood turn to ice. </p>
<p>“Y-Yes,” Gil stuttered, fingering the waist of his briefs. “H-Harry showed me how.”</p>
<p>“Hear that, boys?” one of the Hyenas laughed. “Good old Harry Hook was <em>generous</em> enough to stretch blondie out.”</p>
<p>“Probably took him for a ride, too,” a different Hyena drawled. “Just to make sure he was good and loose.”</p>
<p>“Clothes <em>off</em>,” Scar snarled. “Then get on your hands and knees and show Volker what a good whore you are-”</p>
<p>The words sputtered off with an arrow to the throat, and the Hyenas closest to Scar had maybe about a second to recover before they were consumed by an explosion. </p>
<p>That was three down.  Five were left.</p>
<p>Chad took out the ones that lunged for Gil next, likely trying to use him as some sort of human shield.  Chad picked them off, and then the last few were decimated by the arrival of Jay and Mal, who wasted no time parrying the Hyena’s spear blows and gutting them through. </p>
<p>It all happened quickly, and Chad’s ears were still ringing with latent explosions when he scrambled off his rock to join the others.  By the time he got there, a crying Gil was held safely in Jay’s arms while Mal kicked the shit out of the bodies that were still twitching, the half-Fae stealing anything of value off of the cooling corpses.</p>
<p>“Motherfucking <em>piece of shit</em>,” she hissed, and Chad left her to it, choosing instead to gather up Gil’s clothing and press it into the blond’s hands. </p>
<p>“Get dressed,” Chad ordered, couldn’t help that his words were curt because if he hadn’t come they would have- they would have <em>violated</em> Gil the same way Stromboli had wanted Carlos to be violated and Chad wouldn’t have even known about it because the blond had gone to Scar willingly.</p>
<p>Gil flinched, new tears spilling down his cheeks. </p>
<p>Chad struggled to compartmentalize, and then he struggled not to break, because it would be very tempting to do so. “You’re not a whore, Gil,” Chad said. “I know you did this because you thought it was right, and I’m not mad at you.  I’m mad at Scar, but please, <em>never do this again</em>.”</p>
<p>“I… I’m sorry,” Gil sniffed instead of saying <em>he wouldn’t</em>, which didn’t really help with Chad’s anger but there wasn’t much to do for that anyway.</p>
<p>“Here,” Jay sighed, recognizing the unstoppable force that was Chad’s ire and deciding to exercise some empathy for once. “Let me help you get dressed, okay?  And then we’ll go back to the castle.”</p>
<p>“Together,” Chad said, partly because as much as he would love some space, he didn’t want Gil to feel abandoned, not after something like this.</p>
<p>So he turned and went to Mal while Jay helped Gil redress, the purple-haired teen shoving items angrily into her bag.</p>
<p>“Is um… Carlos okay?” Chad asked, desperate to get his mind off this almost-catastrophe.  He didn’t want to think about how Uma would react.  Or <em>Harry</em>.  Chad was responsible for keeping everyone in the crew safe, but he almost hadn’t.</p>
<p>Mal’s gaze softened ever so slightly. “Yeah,” she said, letting her shoulders slump with a sigh. “I left him with Evie.  They’re watching over the castle while we’re gone.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Chad said. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Thanks for sending for us,” Mal replied, and Chad knew it wasn’t intended as a passive aggressive slight for all the times he <em>didn’t</em> send for her – but this was Gil.  Gil warranted the best, as much as Chad tried to fight that.</p>
<p>“I… I’m sorry,” Chad said, at a genuine loss for words.</p>
<p>Mal sighed again. “I know.  We all know.  Gil makes you… weird.”</p>
<p>Chad tensed. “I’m no weirder for him than-”</p>
<p>“Save it,” Mal said, waving him off, and for once, Chad did just that. </p>
<p>“Hey, um…” Jay spoke up, just in time. “We’re ready to go.”</p>
<p>“Then let’s do that,” Chad said, notching a fresh arrow to his bow just in case as they began the silent walk back to Bargain Castle.</p>
<p>“Maybe we should spend the night in Hell Hall,” Mal offered, choosing to stick by Chad’s side as they made their way through the dark. “It’s closer, and there’ll be less people around to witness any fallout.”</p>
<p>“There won’t be fallout,” Chad said, and even on the move, Mal rolled her eyes at him, clearly not believing this.</p>
<p>“Whatever,” she said. “We’ll maintain course.  But…” Her brows furrowed in thought. “Something is bothering me, though.”</p>
<p>“Yeah?” Chad pressed.</p>
<p>“Just… I thought Scar’s crew was bigger,” Mal said. “The way people talked about them made it seem like they were in the double digits at <em>least</em>.  But he only had like, seven of them around-”</p>
<p>It was that point that they heard the rumpled explosion of one of Bargain Castle’s distance traps going off, and Chad realized Mal was, without question, right.</p>
<p>“It was a diversion,” Chad snapped as he led the others to a vantage point that would keep them protected from any attacking forces. “<em>That</em> was why Scar wanted to lure me from the castle.  He was hoping our defenses would fall without me leading the charge.”</p>
<p>“<em>Stupid</em>,” Mal hissed as they bunkered down, finally getting their eyes on the ensuing chaos. “Like we haven’t planned for that.”</p>
<p>“He’s a narcissist,” Chad said. “Or, <em>was</em> a narcissist.  He probably thought we operated the same way he did.”</p>
<p>“If that’s the case…” A slow smile crept over Mal’s face as she pulled out the lion pelt with one scarred eye. “Let’s show them that their big bad <em>leader’s</em> not around anymore.”</p>
<p>“<em>Let’s</em>,” Chad said, and with a pull of his bow they leapt into the fray.</p>
<p>It all sort of devolved after that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>In the end, the Hyenas’ attack was more of an annoyance than anything else. </p>
<p>They <em>did</em> manage to set fire to one of the greenhouses though, using crudely made Molotov cocktails, so cleaning up that would be a bitch, and the army seemed a little shaken that anyone would dare attack their main base, but the fortifications held up and everyone was accounted for so ultimately the night was labeled as a win.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, with those problems resolved there was nothing to distract Chad from the second mate he most certainly had to punish, though he hoped Evie and Harry had managed to give him some kind of reassurance and comfort.  Chad had sent the three off once the battle was over to ‘strategize’, but really it was an excuse for cuddling, one Chad knew they would not miss.  </p>
<p>That left him with the dirty work.</p>
<p>“Uma.” Chad pulled the captain aside in the bustle of activity, knowing the rebuilding efforts would drown out their conversation. “I need you to punish Gil.  Tonight, if you can.  Just make sure-”</p>
<p>“No,” she interrupted.  Quietly, but resolute.</p>
<p>It was the first time she had openly defied him. “There a reason you’re questioning your orders, Captain?”</p>
<p>“Because they’re bullshit,” she replied, refusing to back down. “You have no problem <em>disciplining</em> the rest of us, but the first time Gil makes a big enough mistake to warrant your attention, you try to push that off on me.”</p>
<p>“I’m going to be a bit busy,” Chad murmured, voice tight and low. “This is an important issue I want addressed <em>appropriately</em>.  That’s why I was entrusting it to you.”</p>
<p>“No, you entrusted it to me because you’re a coward.” Uma had his number, though it was likely she always had it. “I’ll talk to him, but if anyone’s doling out a punishment it should be you, dear leader.”</p>
<p>He knew Uma was exhausted, running on nothing but stubbornness and too little sleep.  She had to deal with the same bullshit as Chad, she just didn’t have the patience to take on more.</p>
<p>“So now what?” she asked. “You gonna punish me too?”</p>
<p>“Maybe later,” Chad allowed, stepping back into the shadows. “As you were, Captain.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The distinction between punishing Harry or Jay versus punishing Gil was that they were creatures that centered around entirely different comforts.  Harry and Jay enjoyed sex.  A <em>lot</em>.  Using that as both a means of punishment and rule reinforcement was a natural progression. </p>
<p>Alternatively, Gil was <em>not</em> a creature of sex.  His focus settled more along the lines of friendship and platonic support. It was what made punishing him so difficult, because in the end, whatever Chad chose to do would subsequently punish his other department heads as well.</p>
<p>At the very least, Gil seemed appropriately chastised when he showed up to Chad’s office, shoulders hunched and gaze drifting to the floor.  He knew he’d done wrong, and came to accept his punishment with a small tremor of concern.  It was sort of like when Chad was little and Ben had tried to take the blame for something they had <em>both</em> done, and Chad wouldn’t take it, couldn’t stand it, because he didn’t care how scary the big, bad beast was, they were both in the wrong, and the prospect of letting Ben approach it alone made Chad so twisted inside he could barely think straight.</p>
<p>“Volker,” Gil greeted softly, managing a quick salute.</p>
<p>Chad cut straight to the point, keeping his tone impassive. “Do you know why you’re here?”</p>
<p>Gil flinched, unused to hearing Chad address him so stoically. “Yeah.  I um- I coulda died because I went off to fight alone.”</p>
<p>“And in the future?”</p>
<p>“I won’t… I won’t do that again.” Gil twisted his fingers together nervously. “I’ll get backup, and um- ensure the ‘proper distribution of troops’.”</p>
<p>It was everything Chad had said countless times before, everything he could hope to ask for.</p>
<p>“If you’ve learned your lesson, then all that’s left is a punishment,” Chad said simply, wishing he would feel less cold inside.</p>
<p>Gil flushed. “Um… are you going to uh- spank me?”</p>
<p>The very prospect was ludicrous.  Unfair to both of them, because that would be the easy way out.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Chad needed this lesson to <em>stick</em>.</p>
<p>“No.” Chad shook his head. “For the next fourteen days you are banned from any of our properties outside the Lost Revenge and the Chip Shoppe.  You are not to talk to Evie, Carlos, Jay, Mal, or myself.  In the event of an emergency, like what happened today, your punishment is rescinded.  Otherwise, it begins now.” </p>
<p>Gil blinked at him slowly. “You mean… I can’t talk to you?  What about- I mean, sleeping?”</p>
<p>“You have your punishment,” Chad repeated. “Now, <em>go</em>.”</p>
<p>Gil flinched at the sharp tone, shooting Chad a wounded look before scrambling for the door.  Chad hoped the others didn’t intercept the pirate – he had specifically picked a time when they would all be away, thus making Gil’s punishment easier to enforce. </p>
<p>He didn’t relax until the door was safely closed behind Gil, and even then it was more of a slump, his chest twinging painfully. </p>
<p>He didn’t want to do it, but it <em>had</em> to be done.  For Gil’s own sake.</p>
<p>He had to remember that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“What the <em>fuck</em>?” Mal hissed to him later, Evie following right on her heels. “Uma says you banished Gil to the Lost Revenge as his punishment.”</p>
<p>“For two weeks,” Chad confirmed, keeping his eyes on the new trap designs.  It never hurt to increase the defenses around the greenhouses.</p>
<p>“That’s <em>bullshit</em>,” Mal hissed. “You never draw this shit out for the rest of us.”</p>
<p>“You’re different people, Mal.” Chad shot her a warning look, because his patience was severely limited without Gil’s occasional presence. “You require different things to reinforce particular points.  This is what will work best for Gil.”</p>
<p>“But what about the rest of us?” Evie asked, ever the diplomat. “You banned him from seeing us too.  Jay tried to stop by the Lost Revenge yesterday and Gil stayed below deck the whole time.”</p>
<p>“It’s unfortunate that this affects you as well, but it needs to be done.” Chad wasn’t sure why they didn’t get that. “If Gil gets the message this time, this won’t be happening again.”</p>
<p>“News flash, it’s <em>going</em> to happen again,” Mal snapped, shoving her way into Chad’s personal space. “Because the only person Gil adores as much as Uma is you.  So yeah, he’s probably going to do <em>whatever it takes</em> to protect your legacy, because he loves you, you dingus!”</p>
<p>These were not words Chad needed to hear, but the logical part of his mind started compartmentalizing.  It was likely Gil loved him, Gil loved everyone, but he wasn’t <em>in love</em> with Chad. </p>
<p>There rested the difference.</p>
<p>“Mal,” Chad began with a forced sort of quiet. “If you’re not going to be productive, go somewhere else.”</p>
<p>She considered him for a moment, gaze furious, before shaking her head. “<em>Fine</em>.  But if Gil can’t talk to me then I’m not talking to <em>you</em>.”  With that, she left, tossing her hair as she went.</p>
<p>And then it was just Evie and her disappointed stare.</p>
<p>“And you, your highness?” Chad asked, keeping his tone impassive.</p>
<p>“I think…” she began, considering her options. “I think Mal has the right idea.”</p>
<p>The door sounded especially taunting when it closed behind her, and Chad knew this was just the beginning of two very miserable weeks.</p>
<p>But that was fine.  Chad had honestly lived through worst.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>He spent the duration of Gil’s punishment coordinating with the officers just under his department heads, checking in with Ginny Gothel for the gardens, Rick Ratcliffe for the merchants, and Hedvig Sinclair for security, making a point to visit LeFou every day.  He had sought the older gentleman out as soon as he’d given Gil his punishment, informing him of the transgression, and offered what condolences he could without completely undermining his own authority.  Of everyone, LeFou seemed to be the only person to understand the necessity of Chad’s decision, which he was glad for.</p>
<p>Ultimately, without the burden of <em>‘associates’</em> Chad got a lot of work done in those two weeks.  Aside from recovering from the attack, he trained two new apprentices in arrow, spike, and rope making, created a new schedule for management of the greenhouses, promoted two of LeFou’s assistants to full-time healers, and worked and reworked his rune designs for camouflage, for anti-magic, for heat and durability and whatever else he could think of. </p>
<p>He had the time, might as well use it. </p>
<p>He checked in on Dizzy and his aunts, reviewed the financials, took care of a few market stall owners that were proving troublesome for his collectors, argued with Cassim over paperwork, and was overall very, very productive. </p>
<p>He was also <em>staggeringly </em>lonely, but Chad had been alone for most of his life.  He was used to it.   </p>
<p>By the time the two weeks were up, he would like to pretend time had flown by, that he wasn’t aware of the date, but that would be horribly false.  Part of him hoped for Gil’s prompt return, but with Uma and Mal’s frustration, he doubted it would happen anytime soon. </p>
<p>And it didn’t.</p>
<p>Fourteen days became sixteen.  Became twenty.  Became almost a month and still there was no sign of Gil at Bargain Castle.  Chad knew the others were going out to see him, had been as soon as the punishment had expired, but Gil hadn’t come <em>here</em> and Chad-</p>
<p>Chad couldn’t go there.  He had no reason to.  He could go under the guise of an inspection but that would imply he didn’t trust Uma, and he did.  Chad couldn’t increase his trips to the Lodge in the hopes that he might catch Gil there because it would be noticed and people would know <em>why</em>, and then Gil would be a target all over again.</p>
<p>He knew they were doing this for a reason, even if the others had deigned to speak to him again (not sleep, his bed remained empty, and he lived with that).  But somehow, Chad couldn’t help but see this as a blessing.  Chad couldn’t really give Gil anything, even if he got back to Auradon, all Chad had to offer was a grandfather desperate to kill him.  Assuming Chad took care of <em>that</em> situation, he had a kingdom, but even with his previous power he hadn’t been able to free the children of the Isle.  He was, effectively, useless.</p>
<p>So Chad didn’t take the bait that was so obviously dangling before him.   </p>
<p>He had an army to lead.  For them, he could be strong.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad didn’t have trouble sleeping because he forced himself to rest.  He didn’t have trouble eating because he forced himself to eat.  He showed no obvious signs of distress because he couldn’t afford them.  He managed his routines of meditation and training and basic self-care because he needed to function at his most optimal levels.  He still had barrier-breaking runes to figure out, after all.  He wished he was smarter, wished he had Doug to talk him through things, but useless wishing would get him nowhere, so he moved on. </p>
<p>Eventually, he moved on to yet another awkward staff meeting where everyone talked business and no one joked or laughed or made fun of Harry and Jay. </p>
<p>Chad had just called the meeting to a close when Uma approached him, using a forced sort of aloofness that Chad could spot as fake from a mile away. “You got any questions for me, boss?”</p>
<p>“You just answered every question I had,” Chad replied honestly, aware of the way the others were pretending not to listen in.</p>
<p>“All of them?” Uma pressed. “You’re not interested in say… how Gil’s doing?”</p>
<p>“Should I be?” He assumed they’d tell him if Gil had managed to injure himself.  At the very least, LeFou would have.</p>
<p>“He’s fine, by the way,” Uma continued as though she hadn’t heard him, studying her nails.</p>
<p>These fuckers didn’t even <em>care</em> about their nails before Chad showed up, he <em>swore</em>. </p>
<p>“That’s good to hear, Uma,” Chad said, keeping his tone impassive. “I’m glad your second mate’s okay.”</p>
<p>“<em>My</em> second mate?” Uma frowned. “So he’s not your friend anymore?”</p>
<p>“We’ve never been friends,” Chad said. “We’re-”</p>
<p>“Associates, yeah, we all know,” Uma snapped. “Are you ever going to come visit him?”</p>
<p>“I was under the impression that the Lost Revenge was well taken care of, Uma.” Chad kept his gaze on the captain. “If it’s in one piece, why would it need my attention?”</p>
<p>“Not the ship – <em>Gil</em>, you idiot!” Mal snapped, unable to hold her silence any longer. “Fucking – you think we buy that you murdered an entire crew of people for an <em>‘associate</em>’?! What the fuck, Volker, give us some credit!”</p>
<p>“You know what I think?” Uma began slowly, as though she was winding up for a hit. “I think our dear Volker needs some <em>discipline</em>.”</p>
<p>There was a good chance they had organized this from the start. </p>
<p>They’d left Evie and Carlos closest to Chad, easily the least physically intimidating so he hadn’t been as on guard as he should have been (had never thought to be so, not with them, not when he trusted <em>them</em>).  Carlos set off some kind of chemical reaction that blinded Chad, left him disoriented for a few seconds and by the time his gaze readjusted Evie had caught his wrists in a loop of rope, tightening it with startling efficiency. </p>
<p>Chad was still stronger than both of them, so he had no issue pulling away, but he still had three others to contend with – four, apparently, because Harry had been waiting in the hallway instead of watching the ship, and Chad fought them but he didn’t want to <em>hurt</em> them, never wanted to hurt them, and it wasn’t until they had wrestled him to the ground that the panic threatened to set in.  The feel of his ankle getting caught in another rope – not unlike how he’d punished Jay so long ago, and then his arms were being stretched above his head-</p>
<p>It took him to a place he had long abandoned.  To a dark sort of helplessness that only brought pain, that only made him feel so uneasy in his skin he wanted to tear it away.  He remembered the force of his grandfather’s fist in his hair, yelling – <em>stupid, frustrating <strong>boy</strong></em> – and Chad was a shame, a blight upon their family, forever a disappointment.  He wouldn’t hold his head so high now, would he?  Couldn’t, not when he was ruined like the dumb shit he was. </p>
<p>There were hands roving over him – a shadowy stranger paid off by his grandfather, dead the next day, but it didn’t matter because the deed was done.  Chad was tied to the bed and used – <em>dirty</em>, dirty and stupid and not good enough, never good enough – he should remember that.  He should be grateful for what he could get but he wanted it to <em>stop</em>.  He’d been conditioned to take a lot of pain but not like this, and maybe that was why his grandfather had used it, had drugged him, had erased every trace of evidence until Chad was only left with the memories and a desperation to stay away from his own body. </p>
<p>He wanted it to end.  It had to end.  It had to <em>stop</em>.</p>
<p>“-Volker!” The name came to him from a distance, slow and thick, like dripping molasses. “<em>Volker!</em>  Come on, Volker.  Come back to us.  <em>Volker</em>.”</p>
<p>Volker.  Volker.  Who was- <em>he was</em>.  He was Volker but he was back home.  Volker wasn’t in Sardinia, Volker was dead – Queen Snow had a miscarriage.  She’d been poisoned because her kingdom was strong, because her child could have posed a threat to Ben’s claim on the throne so of course he had to die.  Chad hated politics.  He wished he was nobody, like his grandfather wanted him to be.  Maybe if he was a peasant he wouldn’t care so much.  Wouldn’t fail so much.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>.” There was a hand tapping against his cheek, light pressure that drew Chad back to- somewhere.  He didn’t know. </p>
<p>He blinked slowly, realized his eyes were wet with tears, the material covering his mouth slick on the inside.  Why was he- a mask?  And- Evie.  Evie was staring at him, frantic and near tears, trying to coax him awake.</p>
<p>“What is this?” Mal was saying.</p>
<p>“Maybe he’s having a panic attack,” Carlos sounded close to having one himself. “Should we send for one of the medics?”</p>
<p>“Calm <em>down</em>, we just need to wait,” Uma said, though she didn’t sound much better. “Give him space.”</p>
<p>“Volker?” Evie whispered, looking so very scared. “Volker, are you back?”</p>
<p>“D-Don’t cry.” Chad’s mouth felt clumsy, but he also felt like he was about to burst out of his skin, so maybe that was to be expected. “I’m fine.”</p>
<p>Carlos was sure to keep his distance, crouching in Chad’s line-of-sight as he tried to get more information. “What was that?”</p>
<p>“Dis-dissociative episode,” Chad managed, somehow.  He’d pushed through worse.  He was fine.  He was on the Isle, not in the dungeon.  It was Evie over him, not some stranger. “H-Happens to- victims of severe trauma.  Now-” He turned his gaze to Evie. “C-Cut the ropes before I have another one.”</p>
<p>He could feel it tugging on his psyche, his brain screaming <em>wrong</em> and body screaming <em>pain</em> and everything else screaming <em>stupid-stupid-stupid boy, stupid, useless <strong>boy</strong></em>. </p>
<p>Jay moved forward on careful feet, though Chad couldn’t stop his flinch even if he freed him, couldn’t help but want to twitch away from Harry when he undid his ankle. </p>
<p>“Volker-” Evie reached towards him again. </p>
<p>Chad couldn’t think of anything worse than her making contact with him at this exact moment. </p>
<p>“Don’t <em>touch</em> me,” he hissed, stumbling to his feet until he could press his back against the wall.  His wrists ached from where he must have thrashed against the bonds, already raw and bruised beneath his gloves. “Until I say otherwise, each of you will send your second-in-command to future meetings.  Uma, you can send Bonnie.”</p>
<p>“What?” Mal was a distant purple haze that Chad couldn’t bear to look at. “Volker, we need to talk about this.”</p>
<p>“She’s right,” Evie said, moving forward. “Volker-”</p>
<p>“Don’t <em>touch me</em>!” Chad snatched up his axe before he could think about it, adrenaline pounding in his ears as he smashed it down against the table. “Get out!  All of you, <em>get out</em>!”</p>
<p>He cleaved the end of the table clean in two, Evie leaping away from his swing with wild, frightened eyes. </p>
<p><em>Good</em>.  She should be scared, they should <em>all</em> be scared.</p>
<p>“Try it again,” he said, voice a low rumble that sounded foreign to his ears.  Maybe he was a true villain, now. “And I’ll start taking hands.”  He waited a beat, all of them sharing looks of confusion, surprise- and fear. “<em>Go!</em>”</p>
<p>Finally, they left, Carlos tugging Mal out of the room and Jay grabbing Evie.  Uma and Harry guarded each other’s backs until it was just Chad and his ruined table.  Chad and his foolish broken heart and his trauma and his stupidity.  He was broken, even by Isle standards. </p>
<p>And now he was alone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to everyone for the lovely outpourings of support and enthusiasm!!!  Just a heads up, this week I’m participating in GISHWHES, the greatest international scavenger hunt the world has ever seen, so I will be a bit slower to reply to comments.  I will get to them, it will just take a bit more time as I ride the tide of crazy ^_^</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>I know, I know, but trust me, next chapter things get better :)</p>
<p>For the purposes of this story, I decided to go ahead and make Scar and the Hyenas human.  Since they are essentially cannon fodder anyway, I didn’t want to distract from the story with talking animals, which to me seem a bit out of place in this particular verse.</p>
<p>WARNING – Threat of sexual assault, though the action never gets close to being committed.  Takes place in the first scene.  For those uncomfortable for such things, look out for: </p>
<p>“I…” Gil wavered, but continued to push his pants down his legs, flushing when he realized he’d forgotten to take off his boots.  The Hyenas laughed at him when he sat in the dirt to do so, all while Chad started tying explosive pellets to his arrows, readying the first on his bow.  </p>
<p>You can hop back in a few lines later, at:</p>
<p>The words sputtered off with an arrow to the throat, and the Hyenas closest to Scar had maybe about a second to recover before they were consumed by an explosion.  </p>
<p>WARNING – Dissociative episode prompted by past sexual trauma.  It takes place in scene five, the last scene of the chapter, when Chad is having a meeting with his department heads.  Basically Chad is pulled back into reliving part of his sexual trauma when they attempt to punish him, and though it is not graphic, it might be very upsetting.  </p>
<p>To skip this, look for the paragraph that starts with: </p>
<p>It took him to a place he had long abandoned.  </p>
<p>You can jump back in on:</p>
<p>“-Volker!” The name came to him from a distance, slow and thick, like dripping molasses. “Volker!  Come on, Volker.  Come back to us.  Volker.”</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Cracked Masks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING – Non-graphic traumatic flashback, see endnotes for more details.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He retreated to the attic, would have climbed onto the roof if it hadn’t been raining, wanting to be as far from <em>confined</em> as possible.  He couldn’t stand the idea of his room with its empty bed, hated that he’d ever looked at that place and thought <em>home</em>.  There was no home for people like him. </p>
<p>Distantly, he thought of Jane’s shy grin and gentle voice that floated through the air like a symphony, beautiful and poignant and rare.  He thought of Doug, bashful but earnest in his quest for knowledge, painfully shy but so very determined.  He thought of Ben and Ben’s stupid smile and his pledge to always be there for Chad – Ben who he’d had to flinch away from for years because the future king shouldn’t touch something so dirty.  The gossip magazines said Chad was one of the top <em>eligible bachelors</em> and he wasn’t even fifteen yet, and his dad never stopped them, what the fuck was wrong with Auradon?  What was wrong with <em>everyone</em>?  He was just a kid.  They were all just kids. </p>
<p>He fixed every lock he could before pulling off his mask, taking off the stupid hood and bandana because he needed to <em>breathe</em> again. </p>
<p>He needed to sleep.  Needed to plan.  Damage control needed to be done, but for what?  The bridges had already been burned.  They’d realize now that they were better off without him.  That Volker really was just some coward hiding behind a mask. </p>
<p><em>Stupid</em>.  Stupid, boy.</p>
<p>The steady patter of rain was a comfort he clung to, trying to get lost in the rhythmic beating.  It hadn’t been raining the night it happened.  He hadn’t had clothes and he wasn’t on the Isle, and now Chad was safe.  Chad was fine.  He needed to meditate, to focus.</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how long he’d gotten into his new meditation session before he heard banging on the attic entrance.  Chad had piled some furniture onto it before making his retreat so he didn’t mind it much.  Out of habit, he pulled his mask back on, re-dawning his hood and bandana like a suit of armor, just in case.  They wouldn’t be able to get through, but it never hurt to be prepared.  You never knew when one of your long-time guardsmen would get bought off and betray you.</p>
<p>That was a painful lesson to learn – don’t employ guardsmen who like to spend their free time gambling.  Desperate men do ruthless things. </p>
<p>Chad was pretty sure that man was dead too.</p>
<p><em>Good riddance</em>, the villainous part of him thought.</p>
<p>The banging on the entrance rose to a thunderous clatter, and distantly Chad realized that the furniture he’d moved had toppled over.  Shifted out of the way by someone with immense strength. </p>
<p>Panic claimed him like an old friend, clutching his chest as Gil’s torso popped into view, his expression worried and perfect and his hair and clothes damp from the rain.  He’d run through the rain-</p>
<p>“Volker?” Gil asked, boldly pressing into the dark recesses of the room. “Volker, come on.  The others said you- that something bad happened.  Volker, <em>please</em>.  I’m sorry I stayed away.”</p>
<p>Chad wasn’t.  The greedy part of him was but logic had to win out because if Gil wasn’t near he was <em>safe</em>, and sometimes safe was the best present you could give.</p>
<p>“Uma wanted you to come to me,” Gil continued. “To prove your friendship?  I dunno, I thought it was dumb.  I knew you wouldn’t come, not because you didn’t want to, because you <em>couldn’t</em>.  Just like you couldn’t save Harry because of me so you said it was for a debt.  And like how you said I should ‘take care of that food’ before it went bad because you couldn’t just <em>give</em> it to me.  I know I’m dumb-” And stubborn, he was so stubborn. “But I <em>know</em> you, Volker.  This month apart gave me a lot of time to think about it, to think about you, and I get it now.  Please come out.  <em>Please</em>.  I wanna help you too.  I want- I want you to be my princess.”</p>
<p>Chad shoved a hand to his mouth, sobbing hard before he could help himself.  Instantly, Gil was upon him, pulling him out of his corner and into a hug.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>.” He sounded so relieved and his hug was so firm, so good, everything Chad wanted. “Volker, I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>“Don’t- don’t <em>touch</em> me.” Chad struggled against his hold. “Don’t- I’m dirty, Gil.  I’m gonna- I’ll make you dirty, you gotta-” He struggled, but Gil didn’t let him go, and Chad didn’t really want to be anywhere else, even though he knew he should. “I’m dirty,” he croaked, throat thick and choked. “I’m dirty and stupid.  Don’t let me- you’ll get <em>dirty</em>.”</p>
<p>“Can’t,” Gil whispered, stubbornly holding on. “You can’t make me dirty, Volker.”</p>
<p>“Yes I <em>can</em>,” Chad sobbed. “That’s what I do.  I take good things and I <em>ruin</em> them.”</p>
<p>He almost ruined Ben and Jane and Doug by association, his grandfather’s toxic hate spilling onto the heir of Auradon and Fairy Godmother’s daughter and his damn <em>roommate</em> because politics were a ruthless thing.  Chad had to cut away his love, devote himself to people like Audrey because his grandfather wouldn’t dare fuck with her (two kingdoms and the <em>Moors</em>?, even King Adam wouldn’t try anything), but even then Ben would still chase him, because Chad had been too stupid to be mean to him from the beginning.</p>
<p>“No you don’t.” The voice came from behind them, Chad flinching at Evie’s soft, collected tone.  She marched forward and didn’t stop until she was wrapped around Chad’s back, the two of them holding him together. “No you don’t, Volker.  You take things and make them <em>better</em>.”</p>
<p>“Don’t touch me.” He was panicking again, could feel his body trembling hopelessly. “<em>Don’t</em>.  I can’t- you have to go.  You both have to go; I can’t protect you from up close.”</p>
<p>“We protect each other,” Evie declared, holding on tighter.  “We watch each other’s backs, Volker.  You don’t get the monopoly on caring; we want to help you too.”</p>
<p>“<em>Don’t-</em>”</p>
<p>“Too late.” She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “You’re our princess.”        </p>
<p>“Stupid,” Chad whispered. “Stupid, stupid.  I’m stupid-”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Evie looked furious when she made him look at her. “You were saying that before, during your episode, and that is the <em>last</em> thing you are.”</p>
<p>“You taught me how to make rope,” Gil said quietly. “You taught us how to garden and make greenhouses.  You taught the girls how to braid hair.  You made us omelets with <em>vegetables</em>, and you didn’t even act like it was a big deal that you were sharing.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t,” Chad muttered, wishing he could struggle out of Evie’s hold. “We’re a team.  Teams share.”</p>
<p>“A lot of leaders keep the best for themselves,” Evie said, letting go of his chin so Gil could tuck him against his chest. “You didn’t.  You kept it even.  Said you were vicious but fair.  Mostly, I think you’re just kind.”</p>
<p>Chad squeezed his eyes shut, felt a shudder run through his body. “Kindness doesn’t get you far on the Isle.”</p>
<p>“It got <em>you</em> far.” Evie was stubborn on this. “You killed Carlos’ mom before you were ready to because of his bruises.  You told Mal to recruit the kids nobody wanted because you needed them to have a home.  You say things like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and ‘good morning’ and ask how we’re doing and actually <em>care</em> about the answer.  You protect us, and everyone else can think it’s for the sake of practicality, but we know it’s because you care about people.  It’s why you injure VKs instead of taking them out permanently.  It’s why you negotiate ceasefires or recruit when you could eradicate all together.  Because you are <em>kind</em> and <em>clever</em> and <em>brave</em>.”</p>
<p>“No one had ever heard of you before I did,” Gil whispered.  “No one had even <em>seen</em> you.  You stayed hidden forever but you risked being seen so you could help me.  You’re great, Volker, and you taught us how to be great too.”</p>
<p>“And when we find whoever did this to you,” Evie murmured, voice dropping to a low, venomous <em>growl</em>. “We will pull them apart piece-by-piece.”</p>
<p>“He’s dead,” Chad said quietly. “I’m sorry-”</p>
<p>“Don’t apologize,” Evie soothed. “Even now you’re trying to comfort me.  You had an episode and the first coherent thing you did was try to get me to stop crying.”  She pressed herself against his spine. “I promise we’ll never tie you up again.  We’ll never do anything like that again.”</p>
<p>“…can I trust you?” Chad tried to comfort himself with the steady beat of Gil’s heart. “Can I trust any of you again?”</p>
<p>“We’ll earn it back,” Evie promised, and somehow, she made it seem like that prospect was within reach. “Could you please come down to Mal’s room?  We’d like to take care of you.”</p>
<p>“Will you…” Chad swallowed, tried to compose himself. “The others- I don’t want to say this stuff again.”</p>
<p>“I’ll tell them,” Evie confirmed. “Though I think a few of them are eavesdropping.”</p>
<p>“Jay had to pick the lock, right?”</p>
<p>“That was Carlos, actually,” Gil rumbled. “Jay and Harry are… mad.”</p>
<p>“Not at you,” Evie assured. “Just- generally.”</p>
<p>“Uma’s watching them,” Gil said. “And we’re watching you.”</p>
<p>“F-Fine.” Chad was tired, and while he shouldn’t trust them after last time, they <em>had</em> cut the ropes when he asked.  They didn’t have to. “But you need to change into dry clothes, and dry your hair.  You could get sick-”</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” Evie sighed. “I promise, we’ll take care of ourselves.  Now let us take care of you.”</p>
<p>It was a strange notion.  Chad hadn’t been taken care of in a long time. “…okay.”</p>
<p>“That’s the spirit.” Gil grinned.</p>
<p>They held his hands when they walked to the attic entrance, and sure enough Carlos and Mal were hovering just underneath, scrambling off the ladder to allow them room.  They weren’t angry, or afraid.  Just concerned, and Chad was too tired to try and figure anything else out.</p>
<p>Quietly, he surrendered, deciding that thinking required too much effort going forward.  The army would have to hold itself together until morning. </p>
<p>Until then, they could manage.  Hopefully.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It was strange being in Mal’s room without any distinct purpose.  Usually they were having a meeting or doling out a punishment or he was checking on whoever had ended up spending the night, but now he was just sitting on her bed, letting Carlos curl around him like a sort of human blanket while the girls got Gil dried off (none of the rest of them were wet, which made Chad think that one of the others must have run for Gil- maybe Harry or Uma).  It was nice watching them fuss over him, the blond offering Chad bright grins every once and awhile, making Evie giggle.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Carlos would occasionally mutter, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “Sorry, it was a stupid plan.  We didn’t think it through.  <em>You</em> would have thought it through.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t know,” Chad replied simply. “Kind of go out of my way not to be tied up.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you’re always careful when you punish the others.  We didn’t <em>think</em>, we were just frustrated.”</p>
<p>“Should have listened to Gil,” Mal muttered. “Sorry, Gilly.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay.” The blond flushed. “I know most of my ideas are dumb-”</p>
<p>“They’re not,” Chad pressed, chest gripped with tension. “Gil-”</p>
<p>“You’re the first one not to think that,” Gil said, crossing the room in his fresh clothes and pulling Chad and Carlos into his lap. “You never treated me like I was dumb.  You taught me stuff when I didn’t know it, but you weren’t mean.”</p>
<p>He hugged them closely, and across the room Mal and Evie changed into sleep clothes. </p>
<p>Gil turned his attention to Carlos. “He killed my dad, you know, ‘cuz he hit me.  My Uncle LeFou told me about it later, how he tried to talk my dad down until he said something mean about me, and then Volker just-” He made a chopping motion. “And instead of leaving my uncle high and dry he claimed him and trapped out the lodge and then like, killed a mob of henchmen.  He made my uncle leave out the backdoor, too.  Fought them off by himself.”</p>
<p>“I laid a lot of traps, Gil.” Chad could feel himself blushing. “And I had a long-distance weapon.  They didn’t.  They would have killed me if I hadn’t been ready for them.”</p>
<p>“The point is that you <em>were</em> ready for them because you wanted me and my uncle to be safe.” </p>
<p>“And then,” Mal began, climbing onto bed with them and sort of draping herself against Gil’s back. “Instead of leaving me to fend for myself, you offered me a partnership.  You didn’t have to.  It was a lot more work for you to do so, especially with all my mom’s men dead.  But you did it anyway.”</p>
<p>“You don’t punish other VKs,” Carlos murmured. “Not if you don’t have to.”</p>
<p>“Can we…” Chad swallowed. “Could we <em>not</em> talk about it for a bit?”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Evie stood before him, motioning for his hands so she could pull him up. “You should get comfortable.”</p>
<p>“Um…” Chad looked down.  He usually slept in his clothes and changed later, after the fact.</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Evie put her foot down. “You’re going to take a bath, and then you’re going to wear something <em>comfortable</em>, and you can sleep in your mask and your bandana if you want, but your practical stuff is staying on the nightstand.  Carlos will trap the door, if you’re worried about that.”</p>
<p>“What about the others?” Chad frowned. “If Jay picks the lock-”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about the others,” Mal huffed. “Believe it or not, we actually <em>are</em> capable, Volker.”</p>
<p>“I never said that,” Chad replied, panic spiking through his chest. “It’s just-”</p>
<p>“Your insatiable need to look out for everyone,” Carlos finished. “Yes, we get it.  We love that about you.  Now please, <em>take a bath</em>.”</p>
<p>“Not because you stink,” Mal sniffed. “But because you also deserve relaxing things.”</p>
<p>“I left some water bottles in there,” Evie said as she ushered him towards the door. “So you can hydrate.” Because he’d been crying.</p>
<p>The generosity made him want to tear up again. “Guys…”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes.” Mal waved him off. “We love you too.  Now get out of our sight.”    </p>
<p>Unable to argue, he did just that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The clothes Evie gave him had obviously been made with him in mind, dark pants and warm socks coupled with a blue long sleeve shirt that brought out his eyes.  Chad found himself cursing her for it as he patted himself dry, his hair feeling clean for the first time in ages – Evie’s homemade toiletries really were a work of wonders. </p>
<p>He felt better now that he’d rehydrated, didn’t even feel stifled when he slid his mask and bandana back on, though he did spare a longing look to his gloves.  They weren’t necessarily comfortable, but he felt better sleeping with them, sometimes.  At least if he had to punch someone, he knew it would <em>hurt</em>. </p>
<p>Reentering Mal’s bedroom earned him a soft round of applause, Evie graciously bowing from her perch at the end of the bed while Chad tried not to blush under their combined gazes, setting his clothes aside for tomorrow.</p>
<p>“Damn, Evie,” Mal drawled appreciatively. “You got him in something besides <em>brown</em>?  You’re a miracle worker.”</p>
<p>“I do what I can,” Evie chirped.</p>
<p>“You’re pretty, Volker,” Gil said, tone somewhat dreamy. “Come on, let’s go to bed.”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t need to be told twice.  After almost a month of sleeping alone, he was eager to crawl into bed, cuddling against Gil’s side with a shiver, gripped by the unreasonable fear that he might leave.  Chad was pretty sure he wouldn’t.  It was a lot of effort to go through, just to leave.</p>
<p>Mal curled against his back. “Sorry, partner,” she whispered, petting his side carefully. “I knew it was hard for you to be separated from Gil, and then I made things worse.”</p>
<p>Chad tensed. “You did what you thought was right.”</p>
<p>“Well, it wasn’t,” Evie said, sliding in on Gil’s other side.  Carlos took the last spot by Mal, leaving Chad in the middle. “And I enabled her, spread the idea around.”</p>
<p>“When you punish them… you’re scared, aren’t you?” Mal asked. “Scared they were going to die.  That’s why you have to do stuff that will stick with them.”</p>
<p>“I just- want you to be careful,” Chad said.  It was so easy for people to slip up here, to never be seen again.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Mal hissed. “I don’t know why I didn’t figure you out sooner.  You taught the kids how to braid hair, for evil’s sake.  You give them money.”</p>
<p>“They earned that money.” Chad would continue this argument until the day he died.</p>
<p>“And then you say things like that,” Carlos sighed. “You’re a good leader, Volker.  I’m sort of glad Gil got mugged.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, me too,” Gil chirped. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”</p>
<p>“Don’t say that,” Chad sighed.</p>
<p>“Too late.” Mal pressed a kiss against his shoulder. “<em>Princess</em>.”</p>
<p>Chad shuddered, told himself the name was kindly meant. “That is such a terrible name.”</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Carlos hissed. “You gave me <em>‘baby’</em>.”</p>
<p>“Because you’re our sweet baby boy,” Chad pointed out, unapologetic.  He hoped Carlos was blushing in the dark.</p>
<p>“See?” Mal cackled. “You don’t pick your nickname; your nickname chooses you.”</p>
<p>Evie laughed. “As an actual princess, I officially approve Volker’s nickname.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ugh</em>,” Chad groaned. “Lunatics.”</p>
<p>“<em>Your</em> lunatics,” Mal reminded him. “Now everybody go to sleep.  We have masses to instill fear into tomorrow.  Can’t let them know anything’s wrong.”</p>
<p>“Got it, Bruiser,” Chad said, reveled in the small nip against his shoulder that this earned him, and the rumble of laughter that echoed through Gil’s chest.</p>
<p>Everything would be okay, maybe.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Hands were clawing at his body and he couldn’t stop them, could barely <em>breathe</em> and his efforts to meditate to an unaffected state of mind were useless because the hands kept <em>touching</em> him everywhere, in territory Chad had only just begun to explore but never with anyone else.  He’d never gotten that far, too shy, too aware of his grandfather’s controlling madness and Chad tried to scream but his throat was raw, like choking on honey, because he was weak because he was stupid because he’d allowed himself to be caught and the pain kept <em>coming</em>.  He hated it.  He wanted to hide in his bedroom.  He wanted Ben.  He wanted Jane.  Where the hell was Fairy Godmother when Chad needed her?  He was being violated but she didn’t <em>care</em> that he was bleeding.</p>
<p>“-<em>Volker?</em>” A flash of sound that came at him from a distance, there and gone like lightning, leaving Chad struggling against the soft confines that twisted around him. “<em>Volker!</em>”</p>
<p>No- he needed to get free, he <em>had</em> to get free.  Somehow he managed it, yanking himself through the darkness until he collapsed onto the floor, hard and cold beneath his fingers but it wasn’t <em>there</em> where the hands could get him.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker, you’re having-</em> <em>episode!</em>”</p>
<p>The gag had gotten loose around his mouth and Chad tore it away, terrified that he was going to throw up and choke on it.  He reached for his head and found some sort of material in the way that he threw off too, searching frantically for phantom hands tugging at his hair.  It was just his- just his fingers, just his hands.  No one else would touch him.  No one else would touch him ever again.</p>
<p>“Volker!” Evie crawled into view, eye furrowed in confusion, and Chad felt a spike of panic through his chest.</p>
<p>“You have to go,” he whispered, eyes squinting through the darkness to try and find a door. “You have to go before he comes back, Evie.  He’ll hurt you.”</p>
<p>“Who will hurt me?” Evie pressed, like they had time. “You said he was dead.”</p>
<p>“He <em>is</em> dead,” Chad hissed. “But my grandfather isn’t.  He’ll kill you.  He’ll kill you just for existing.  You have to <em>go</em>.”</p>
<p>“No.” The princess crawled forward, laying a hand on Chad’s shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere, Volker.  <em>We’re</em> not going anywhere.”</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>,” Chad gasped. “Please, you just have to… to…”</p>
<p>Slowly but surely, he felt his heartrate begin to come down, his surroundings finally registering with painful finality.  He was in Mal’s room.  They had slept together again and Chad – a night terror, likely set off from the episode that evening. </p>
<p>It’d been a long time since he’d had one of those.</p>
<p>He pressed a hand against his forehead, realized he had taken off both his mask <em>and</em> bandana in his fear, and shuddered at his stupidity. “…<em>fuck</em>.”</p>
<p>“That… that was more than a nightmare,” Carlos said, his voice quiet.  It was just the soft patters of rain keeping them up now, and while Chad was grateful none of them had turned on the lamp, he knew the light from the storm was enough to highlight his features. </p>
<p>“Night terror,” Chad said quietly, cradling his face in his hands.  Through the cracks in his fingers, he searched for his mask, even if the very idea of putting it back on made him want to throw up.</p>
<p>“I thought…” Gil sounded so confused. “You said you had scars.”</p>
<p>There was a tense silence.</p>
<p>“I do.” Chad swallowed. “I um… implied they were on my face, even if that’s not accurate.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Mal asked, voice thick. “Why do you… did <em>he</em> make you feel ashamed of it?  Is that why you don’t like to be touched?”</p>
<p>Chad felt tears welling down his face. “J-Just trying to be practical,” he murmured. “I’m not- <em>this-</em>” He motioned to himself. “-isn’t intimidating.”</p>
<p>“…Volker,” Evie began quietly, so <em>very</em> careful. “Have you… have you been with anyone since then?  Without your clothes?”</p>
<p>Chad shook harder. “N-No.”</p>
<p>“Mother<em>fucker</em>,” Mal hissed.  Chad flinched at the sharpness of her tone but she was relentless, crawling across the floor until she wrapped herself around his shoulders. “You’re not dirty, Volker.  You can’t contaminate us with your touch.”</p>
<p>“Just-” Chad swallowed. “I <em>can’t</em>- I’ve <em>tried</em> and I can’t even-” He’d given up on being aroused so long ago.  If it wasn’t for the accidental drugging with clove, he would have thought himself incapable. “M-Mal…”</p>
<p>“We don’t have to,” Mal said quietly, rubbing small circles against his arms. “You don’t have to do a damn thing you don’t want to do, okay princess?” </p>
<p>Chad flinched <em>hard</em> in her hold, unable to fight the raw feeling of shame the nickname inspired.</p>
<p>Mal cursed. “Okay, so maybe that’s a bad nickname.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine when I can remember <em>why</em> you guys gave it,” Chad gasped. “Just- he said that too.”</p>
<p>“Never again,” Mal pledged. “No one’s going to hurt you like that <em>ever </em>again.”</p>
<p>“That’s a promise,” Evie said, joining the other side of the huddle. </p>
<p>Carlos and Gil stayed at the foot of the bed, Carlos clearing his throat. “Do you want us to join or…?”</p>
<p>“I mean, intellectually, yes,” Chad gasped. “But um- that might be too many people right now, but I-”</p>
<p>“We know,” Gil said, giving him a sad smile. “We know you care about us.  You don’t have to say it.”</p>
<p>“Do you want your mask back?” Carlos asked.</p>
<p>Chad shook his head. “He um- gagged me and…” He just wanted to breathe. “Could we- could you forget you saw my face?” Mal tensed, but didn’t say anything. “And then tomorrow night, could you forget you saw my face and just…”</p>
<p>Evie hugged him tighter. “We can do that.”</p>
<p>“This is a safe space,” Mal added. “That includes a safe face-space.”</p>
<p>The ludicrous comment took Chad by enough surprise that he laughed. “You’re stupid,” he rasped. “I’m so glad that I met you.”</p>
<p>“Back at ya, pumpkin pie,” Mal murmured, making Chad laugh again. “Studmuffin.  Honeycomb.  My diabolic little gerbil.”</p>
<p>“S-Stop,” Chad gasped between giggles.</p>
<p>“<em>Never</em>,” Evie said. “Do you… do you want to go back to bed?”</p>
<p>“I um- think the couch might be better,” Chad decided.</p>
<p>Which was how they all ended up piled onto a couch built for maybe three people, but Chad didn’t feel crowded.  For the first time in a while, he felt free, curled up in Gil’s lap without his mask on, Carlos splayed across Chad’s legs and Mal and Evie’s laps. </p>
<p>For the first time in a while, his body felt like it was <em>his</em> and Chad held onto that as tightly as he could, thinking for once, he deserved it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad struggled to awareness slowly, somehow feeling more tired than the night before despite being safely cuddled in Gil’s arms – Gil, who he had so desperately missed, whose chest shifted in rhythmic movements beneath his cheek that made him feel closer to centered.  He already knew with an episode and a night terror that the day was going to be a struggle, and he mentally tried to prepare himself for it.  There were so many things that needed to be done for the sake of appearances, and Chad found the very prospect of them agonizing.  He’d gotten through worse, he already knew that much.  He was just tired.</p>
<p>The feather light touch brushing against his wrist wasn’t really helping matters. </p>
<p>Chad didn’t have to look down to know that Jay was crouching beside them, face tilted up with an expression mixed with equal parts concern and wonder, gaze taking in every detail of Chad’s face that his clothing normally covered.</p>
<p>When it looked like he was about to speak, Chad grabbed his fingers and <em>squeezed</em>, warning him into silence.  He pulled his legs out from under Carlos’ curled form and slid off the couch, getting an unhappy sound from Gil before he settled again, Chad replacing his presence with a squished pillow.  He didn’t look at Jay when he snatched up the mask and bandana that had been discarded on the floor, re-equipping them in the proper position before he collected the rest of his clothes from the nightstand.  Jay followed him down the hall to his bedroom, locking and trapping the door behind them as Chad changed out of Evie’s lounge clothes and back into his uniform. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>Chad paused, sliding out of the soft t-shirt before arming himself with his more durable under armor. “Good.”    </p>
<p>It wasn’t a kind thing to say, but Chad was exhausted, and he didn’t really have it in him to accept apologies at this given moment, no matter how difficult it was for Jay to offer them.</p>
<p>He could <em>feel</em> Jay shift his weight uneasily. “…we fucked up.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Chad agreed. “But it’s done now.”</p>
<p>“Did you…” Jay’s voice was careful as Chad slipped back into his turtleneck and coat, buckling the straps like a suit of armor. “The others.  Did you forgive them?”</p>
<p>“Not yet,” Chad admitted. “But I care about them.  I care about all of you.”</p>
<p>There was another tense pause.  It made Chad grateful for his gloves and bracers, his belt and the equipment he could easily refill from the hidden compartments in his room.</p>
<p>“So um… I don’t know if this helps any, but you’re pretty cute under that mask.”</p>
<p>Despite himself, Chad felt his shoulders tense.  He had to force himself to relax them. </p>
<p>That’s what he was, in the end.  Good ‘ole <em>Chad Charming</em>.  Handsome, gorgeous, <em>Sardinia’s most eligible bachelor</em> and not even eighteen, better swoop in and snag him while you can ladies, because he’s perfect.  Good looking, charming, a prince, and best of all, dumb as a rock, so he’ll be easy to manipulate.  That’s the heir to Sardinia, vague and beautiful - <em>wouldn’t his mother be proud?</em></p>
<p>Chad hadn’t realized his hand was shaking against his side until he heard the leather creak.  He tried to cut through the tension with a shake of his head, angrily snatching up his boots so he could put them back on. </p>
<p>He needed to meditate.  He needed to focus.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Jay said again. “Sorry.  <em>Fuck</em>.  I don’t know why I thought the guy who wore a mask all the time wanted to hear about his looks.”</p>
<p>“It was well intended.” Chad’s voice sounded rougher than normal, though he could play that off with the change in weather.</p>
<p>“Well the fucking punishment was <em>well intended</em> too, and we can see how well that went,” Jay grumbled, sounding legitimately upset. “<em>Fuck</em>.” </p>
<p>Chad had finished getting dressed.  He had no more reasons to stay there. “How…” He frowned, unused to asking such questions. “How are Harry and Uma?”</p>
<p>“Livid,” Jay said quietly. “Mostly at themselves.”</p>
<p>Chad shook his head. “…always expecting perfection.”</p>
<p>“I think it’s kind of justified this time,” Jay didn’t quite snap, but he was on edge. “Volker-”</p>
<p>“Talk to Evie,” Chad said. “I gave her permission to explain things to you.  I don’t- I don’t want to do it again.”</p>
<p>“…okay.”</p>
<p>Chad stood up, hoping to feel some level of grounded.  Instead the action felt like a trial, like it required a far more monumental effort than he’d ever needed before. </p>
<p>That was not good.  Maybe he’d visit the Lodge that day.  Use the chickens as an excuse to meet up with LeFou and Mr. Smee.  He’d been putting it off for one of the next few days anyway, and now that he’d gotten to see Gil again, there wasn’t an excuse for him to stay away.</p>
<p>“Hey.” Jay seemed closer, but he wasn’t touching. “Are you alright?”    </p>
<p>“As I can be,” Chad settled on, given the circumstances.  He wasn’t sure if he was ready to be taken care of by Jay, yet.  Wasn’t sure in the light of day if he could rely on any of them.  “Tell Hedwig she’s in charge of running drills today, and have Carlos’ team recheck the generators for the greenhouses.  Better to be safe than sorry.”</p>
<p>“Will do, boss,” Jay said, <em>thankfully</em> opting not to comment on the schedule change.  They had business to attend to, after all.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>By the time Chad made it to the Lodge he was flagging, and knew he’d been caught with a case of the flu at the very least.  He attributed it to the stress of the past month, loneliness and self-loathing making poor friends in a place he couldn’t absolutely guarantee his survival every day.  Even though he’d forced himself to sleep, he hadn’t really rested, and no amount of meditation could ease the tension from his shoulders until it culminated in a flushed heat that had sweat dampening his hair.  He managed to slip into the Lodge without arousing suspicion from the two assistants and the lookout high on the roof – Jay’s cousin, maybe, taking a break from thieving – but the moment he stepped inside there was no hiding the sway to his steps.</p>
<p>Fortunately, LeFou had been in the kitchen brewing up another fresh pot of tea for the few kids that were down with colds and was immediately by Chad’s side, looping an arm over his shoulder.</p>
<p>“When did you start showing symptoms?” he asked, cutting past the bullshit power hierarchy to be a doctor, just like Chad trained him.</p>
<p>“This morning,” Chad slurred, trying to shake his head to clear out the feeling of cotton in his ears. “Hit me f-fast.”</p>
<p>“You definitely have a fever.” LeFou dragged him up the stairs, away from the usual patient rooms towards what they had established as the officer treatment area. “Any coughs?”</p>
<p>“Not yet.” Lifting his legs was beginning to be a struggle, and Chad sort of felt bad that the doctor was doing most of the work by this point. “Body aches, though. Um- headache.  General lethargy.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like the flu.” The doctor dragged him into the most secure treatment room, one of the few without a window.  He guided Chad over to the bed, who was more than happy to collapse onto it.  Now that he wasn’t moving he realized exactly how much he didn’t want to do that exact thing. “I need to know if I can take off your mask.”</p>
<p>A surge of panic ripped through Chad’s chest. “Evie can,” he compromised.  She came down here often enough to check on the kids because she was a generous soul. “Invite her for uh- tea or.  Something.  Um…”</p>
<p>“I’ll figure out,” Lefou said, pouring water from the stone jug into a bowl on the nightstand. “I’ll ask her to check on the gardens for me.  You’re going to need fluids and bedrest.  Who knows that you’re here?”</p>
<p>“Just your workers.” The rest Chad avoided.</p>
<p>LeFou made an unhappy sound. “Mal’s not going to like that.”</p>
<p>“Evie will figure it out.” Mal had to stay at Bargain Castle to keep things running – same with Uma and her ship.  And Jay needed to keep an eye on the merchants.  They couldn’t really spare anyone else. “S-Sorry.”</p>
<p>“Not your fault,” LeFou assured him. “It’s probably for the best anyway.”</p>
<p>He pulled back Chad’s hood and carefully removed his bandana, not so much as raising a brow at the limp, blond locks.  He set a soaked cloth on Chad’s forehead before shifting down to remove his boots.  The rest of his clothes, LeFou left, likely out of respect, simply pulling a blanket over his shaking form. </p>
<p>“I’m going to send Arthur to get Princess Evelyn,” LeFou explained, his voice seeming far away. “When she arrives, we’re going to need to get fluids into you.  Tea, broth, maybe some bread.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad nodded, though he was already close to unconscious. “…thank you.”</p>
<p>If LeFou replied after that, he didn’t know.  Chad was already asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I LIVE!!!  First off – I’m so sorry for the delayed replies for all your comments.  GISH took more out of me than expected, and I’m still recovering.  I just want you to know that I have read all your feedback and I *will* respond to them as soon as I can now that I can get my brain to give them the focus and consideration they’re due :)</p>
<p>As always, I am grateful for your feedback and enthusiasm, and I hope this chapter satisfies the cliffhanger I left you on last time!</p>
<p>…granted, I ended on another cliffhanger, but um… a nicer one?  ;D </p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>WARNING – Basically the first paragraph of scene four is a sort of flashback/nightmare hybrid.  It doesn’t cover anything graphic, but it may be upsetting for some.  The paragraph starts with: ‘Hands were clawing at his body and he couldn’t stop them…’ </p>
<p>You can pick up at the next line of dialogue: “-Volker?” A flash of sound that came at him from a distance, there and gone like lightning, leaving Chad struggling against the soft confines that twisted around him. “Volker!” </p>
<p>It’s just the one paragraph.</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. A Fight For Recovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He was shaken awake slowly, vision stubbornly blurring until it cleared into a picture of Evie’s unhappy face.</p>
<p>“…hi,” Chad croaked, frowning when he realized the sore throat had gotten to him when he had been sleeping.</p>
<p>“I’m going to lecture you later,” Evie explained, guiding him up into the sitting position with Gil.  Gil was there, frowning but moving obediently. “When you’re more coherent for it.”</p>
<p>“Happened this morning,” Chad tried to explain, even though his mouth felt uncooperative. “Had to, um- get to Lodge.”</p>
<p>“You could have told us,” Evie huffed, readjusting his blankets with firm tugs. “You could have told Jay.”</p>
<p>Oh.  Right.  They were going to be mad about that. “…I didn’t know it was that bad.” His gaze slid over to Gil, who he was happy to see, but didn’t understand the motivation for his presence.</p>
<p>“Had a hunch,” Evie explained. “Decided to bring Gil with me.  Glad I did.” Chad was too. “He’s going to be your guard until you get better.”</p>
<p>“You’ll have to take turns.” Maybe with Harry?  Except Chad wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk to Harry. “They’ll notice-”</p>
<p>“<em>Don’t</em>,” Evie ordered, and for once, Chad did not.  He trusted Evie, trusted Mal.  They had just as much to lose as he did. “Your job is to get better.  That is your <em>only</em> job.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad’s shoulders immediately lost their tension.  It was a relief for someone else to think for him.  Someone he trusted – and he guessed he did trust Evie again, because she was here and he was weak and he wasn’t even afraid she was going to kill him. </p>
<p>He wasn’t sure if she registered any of this, though the hard look in her eyes seemed to soften. “Gil – guard the door please, sweetheart.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Gil gave his shoulder a careful squeeze before moving to do his task, setting up by the door so that no one could enter.</p>
<p>Evie turned, and that’s when Chad noticed the tray topped with a simple bowl of broth, a glass of water, and some tea.  “Come on,” she said, carefully removing Chad’s mask, and then she spent the next thirty minutes patiently coaxing him to drink. </p>
<p>He made it through maybe half of everything before his eyelids began to droop.</p>
<p>“Just a little bit more.” Evie’s brows were furrowed, a concern she couldn’t quite hide.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Chad mumbled, feeling himself sink into the pillows. “S-Sorry.”</p>
<p>The darkness claimed him. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Things proceeded like that for the rest of the day, Evie waking him every few hours to try and get him to eat and drink something until exhaustion inevitably claimed him.  Chad could feel his fever getting worse, could feel himself getting less and less coherent, until it was all sort of a blur of sensations – flashes of Evie’s face, Gil’s worried eyes, LeFou’s occasional visit.</p>
<p>He struggled awake long enough to feel his clothes be stripped off, struggled against it on principle until he felt himself being cradled against Gil’s chest.  They lowered him into a tub barely giving off steam that felt like ice water against his skin, and while he groaned and whimpered against it, they didn’t stop until he was mostly submerged, shaking in the water.</p>
<p>“I know, I know,” Evie’s voice flittered in his ear, her delicate fingers carding through his hair.  She was pressing another wet cloth against his forehead and he hated it. “I know, lovely, but we’ve got to get your fever down.”</p>
<p>“S-Sorry,” Chad mumbled, hoping she’d understand. “I’m so sorry, Evie.  You deserve so much more.  All of you-”</p>
<p>“<em>Shh</em>.” Her fingers were so gentle, massaging small patterns into Chad’s scalp. “Rest, Volker.”</p>
<p>“N-No.” He needed to say this. “I should have gotten you off by now.  You never should have been here.”</p>
<p>Her hand stuttered. “Volker-”</p>
<p>“I’m such a fucking failure.” He hated it, hated himself.  If he’d been anywhere close to clever he’d never been dumped here.  He would have taken care of his grandfather but he’d been too scared to cross that line, to become something truly wicked, but he could have saved <em>so many lives</em> if he’d just been brave. “I hate it,” Chad continued.  “You shouldn’t be here; you should be out <em>there</em>, being loved by Hanover.”</p>
<p>They would love her too; Evie was so easy to adore.</p>
<p>“You should have parades in your honor and make legislature to fight the magic ban and you could marry Ben,” Chad insisted.  “You’d be such a good queen, Evie.” And their babies would be adorable, maybe a bit dumb, because Ben would have to contribute to the process, but Evie’s side would make up for it. “You should be Queen of Auradon.  There’s so many books in that castle you could read, and you could practice <em>real</em> magic-”</p>
<p>“Volker,” there was a sort of watery lilt to her voice, Evie’s gaze tinged with moisture. “You’re not a failure, I’m not marrying Ben, and you need to stop talking and <em>rest</em>.”     </p>
<p>“But you should.” Chad didn’t know a better person who could possibly handle Ben’s <em>Ben</em>-ness. “He’d be lucky to have you.  He’d get to wake up every day and go ‘who’s this brilliant person who’s so kind and poised and talented who pitied me enough to marry me?  Why, that’s Evelyn Hatzfeld, just like- the best princess in all the land, that’s who, go me’ and then he’d probably like, sing the high-ho song off to work because he’s such a dumb shit.”</p>
<p>Evie laughed sort of hopelessly, and it was a wonderful thing.</p>
<p>“You’re going to change the world.” Chad realized he’d never said as much, even though he’d always thought it. “I hope I live long enough to see it.”</p>
<p>“You’re going to,” Evie pledged, grip tightening on his shoulder.  Oh, he was naked.  He was naked and she was still talking to him. “You’re going to and then we’re going to <em>talk</em> about this later.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Chad nodded, leaning against her hand. “I like talking to you.”</p>
<p>“I like talking to you too, sweetheart,” she murmured, voice soft like she meant it. “Now why don’t you say some nice things about Gil?”</p>
<p>“I love Gil,” Chad said easily. “I’m pretty sure I love all you guys but I <em>know</em> I love Gil.  It’s like-” He squinted up at Evie. “I was surviving and I saw him and he was just this guy- but even from far away I knew he was <em>good</em> and then he was going to get stabbed to death and I couldn’t just- I couldn’t be <em>that</em> much of a coward and watch a good thing go so I killed a guy.”  He swallowed. “I’d never done that before but I did it and then he got to live and I guess I’m just evil.  Maybe I’ve been evil this whole time?”</p>
<p>Chad was beginning to think wickedness just ran in his family – with his grandfather’s wretched control and his father’s negligence.</p>
<p>“I killed them and I didn’t even care.  And then I talked to his dad and I knew I shouldn’t get involved but I couldn’t- I didn’t want <em>him</em> to get hurt like my grandfather hurt me and Gil doesn’t deserve it- he deserves it the <em>least</em>.” He looked at Evie beseechingly, hoping she’d understand. “So I killed him and his brothers and then a whole mob of people and I guess I’m just bad.  I’m just a bad person but I’m okay with that if it can keep Gil good.”</p>
<p>“Oh, baby.” Evie curled around him, leaning over the tub to pull him into a sort of half-hug he melted into. “You’re not bad, Volker.  You did what you had to.  You kept us safe.”</p>
<p>“But I punished you,” Chad whispered. “I don’t like to punish you but I had to for the sake of <em>reputation</em> and fucking- <em>fuck</em> reputation, it’s stupid.”</p>
<p>“Your reputation kept us safe,” Evie pointed out, and Chad just sort of whined because he couldn’t disagree. “But you don’t have to use it on us anymore.”</p>
<p>“Yes, please.” Chad leaned into her. “I want to give you hugs and kisses even though I haven’t kissed anyone in like- forever.  I think I kissed Jane once, but I missed her lips and then ran away because it was super embarrassing and then I pretended I just sort of tripped anytime she brought it up.”</p>
<p>Evie was laughing at him. “We would also like to give you kisses.”</p>
<p>“They will be bad,” Chad warned her. “Probably horrible.  They will be depressing, sad kisses, but I want to give them even to Harry and Jay because they might be shits but they are <em>my</em> shits and-” He tried to refocus his thoughts. “Drunk Harry talked about this once,” he remembered. “He thought he was a whore for loving so many people.  I set him straight.”</p>
<p>Evie tilted her head to look at him. “You talked to him while he was drunk.”</p>
<p>“Said I was a spirit,” Chad whispered conspiratorially. “I didn’t have my mask on, so- yeah, spirit.  And then he said he loved me.” Which was, a trip. “I don’t know if that’s true or if he just likes me because I’m nice to him-”</p>
<p>“You killed a crew of pirates for him.”</p>
<p>“Well.” Chad fidgeted. “That was sort of for Gil.  But I guess the other stuff – like the coat – <em>that</em> was for Harry.”</p>
<p>“And the… <em>discipline</em>?” Evie asked. “Was that for Gil?”</p>
<p>“Maybe?” Chad didn’t actually know. “It made Harry feel better, and Gil likes it when he’s happy.”</p>
<p>“So…” Her fingers were carding through his hair again. “You started all of this for Gil.  You catered to Harry and Uma, you teamed up with Mal – <em>that</em> was for Gil.”</p>
<p>“And you guys,” Chad mumbled. “Figured I could help everyone too.  And also Gil.”</p>
<p>“I can’t decide if you’re a lunatic or a genius,” she decided.</p>
<p>“Maybe both?” Chad didn’t know either. “Hey, I’m kinda tired.”</p>
<p>“Then <em>sleep</em>, you idiot.”</p>
<p>“Rude,” Chad muttered, but he settled into his cold watery naked rest because Evie was running her fingers through his hair so things couldn’t be that bad. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They worked through the worst of it that night.  Despite the tea and the herbs and medicine Chad’s coherency was still come and go, coming in brief, hot snippets.  He was cold and shaky and ached everywhere but he settled when he heard Evie’s voice, felt the brush of Gil’s fingers.  He remembered mumbling things but he didn’t know what they were- maybe brief mentions of ‘<em>I love you</em>’ murmured against palms, and always ‘<em>I’m sorry</em>’ and a few other things.  From time to time he’d hear the distant caress of Jane’s voice and call for her, offering his apologies, however futile (he’d never been able to save her completely from his grandfather’s protection, even after Chad had started to distance himself from her).  He’d tried to sing his mother’s Lavender’s Blue song but he couldn’t remember the words except ‘dilly, dilly’ and he replaced them with ‘Gilly, Gilly’, knowing she and Harry would approve, at least. </p>
<p>The next morning he was coherent, though his body felt heavy and sore, his throat generally protesting the way of the world, and he felt like he’d gone twelve rounds with Tick Tock and lost all of them.  On the bright side, he <em>did</em> manage to finish an entire bowl of broth <em>and</em> a hunk of bread, and his stomach didn’t even protest the entire process like he thought it would.</p>
<p>That was the end of the good news.</p>
<p>Biggs came crashing through the door not long after mealtime, though luckily Chad safely had his mask in place by then. “Huns approaching,” he huffed, chest heaving from exertion. “Jade spotted ‘em coming from both sides.”</p>
<p>“What happened to the patrol?” Evie asked, maintaining a cool disposition.</p>
<p>“Got pulled away by some disturbance at the Chip Shoppe.”</p>
<p>“Diversion,” Chad muttered, getting his uncooperative body under control and pushing himself out of bed. “They planned this.  Who do we have here and how far out are they?”</p>
<p>“You are not moving,” Evie said, but Chad ignored her, already reaching for his boots.    </p>
<p>“Two minutes, maybe.” Biggs’ face was deathly white, devoid of color as the severity of the situation was illustrated for them. “Aside from the docs and you guys we’ve got Jade on lookout, Arthur and Kadar.” Neither of whom had extensive combat training.</p>
<p>Chad took stock of his supplies, was grateful he had refilled his alchemy stash before heading out yesterday.  Knockout gas and explosive pellets would have to cover what the traps missed. “Evie, send the vulture to Bargain Castle to let them know what’s happening – don’t let them send everyone, stick with just the pirates.” The rest they’d need to guard the castle. “Biggs, grab a set of quivers and bows for you and Jade and get up on the roof, tell the docs to get themselves and the kiddoes down in the secret hatch.  Evie-” He finished tying on his boots and reached for his coat, fumbling it into place. “You’ll join them as soon as you send the vulture.”</p>
<p>Biggs scrambled out the door to follow his order and Chad mentally began counting down the seconds.  They didn’t have much time.</p>
<p>“The hell I will,” she muttered. “If you think for a second-”</p>
<p>“You have a duty to your people,” he interrupted. “You are the hope of every Isle kid, we can’t risk you.”</p>
<p>“<em>I’m</em> the-? Volker, you’re our <em>leader</em>.”</p>
<p>“And so’s Mal.” Chad turned his attention to Gil, who was watching the exchange unhappily. “Make sure she gets in the hatch when she’d done with the vulture.  Tie her up if you have to.”</p>
<p>“But-” Gil frowned. “What- what else do I have to do?”</p>
<p>“Get in the hatch with them.” Chad finished re-equipping his weapons and aimed for the door, wishing he had time to change into his more substantial uniform pants. “You’re the last line of defense should we fail, Gil.  Worse comes to worse, I’ll trigger for the house to collapse – it’ll be your job to get everyone from the wreckage.”  </p>
<p>“I don’t like that plan,” Gil said. “I don’t like that at all.”</p>
<p>“I can’t fight with you two in the way,” Chad snapped.  They didn’t have <em>time</em>. “Do your job and get below ground, that’s an <em>order</em>.”</p>
<p>He marched out of the room before he could say something like ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m sorry’ because he’d said enough of both of those over the last few hours.  He pushed his uncooperative legs up onto the roof to find Jade and Biggs already at the jerry-rigged ramparts, Jade shaking like a leaf.</p>
<p>“They disabled the long-distance traps,” she muttered, gaze fixed on the mob of Huns <em>strolling</em> down the street, completely unbothered. “We have nothing-”</p>
<p>“Stop panicking,” Chad ordered, digging into his pouch.  He distributed his knockout pellets between them. “The Lodge traps are still in effect.  We pick off who we can from a distance and then I’ll engage them up close, okay?  Now take these and aim for their archers.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Biggs fumbled to attach them to as many arrows as possible, not confident, but better off than Jade.</p>
<p>“Focus on the woods,” Chad advised. “I’ll take the ones in front.”</p>
<p>Slipping into a mindset to deal with the immediate threat was a form of meditation in itself, helping Chad bypass his illness to focus on the risk of their imminent demise.  The long-distance traps might be down, but there were enough dilapidated buildings on the street for Chad to aim an explosive arrow at, timing his shot just <em>so</em>-</p>
<p>The top half of his targeted building seemed to <em>slide</em> apart in a dramatic shift, crumbling on top of the Huns below that had been so confident in their victory.  Chad didn’t see how many he’d squashed, but he had blocked off the street enough to greatly diminish the oncoming wave of attackers.  He set his sights on another weak building, and then another, until his horde was down to a group of fifteen. </p>
<p>Then he set his attention on the woods.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Biggs hissed, letting out a broken cry as his body gave a rough <em>jerk</em>.  An arrow pierced clean through his shoulder and Chad could only hope it hadn’t hit anything vital, could only <em>drag</em> him back towards the roof hatch, urging him down.</p>
<p>“Can you get to the hatch?” Chad whispered, losing off an arrow in the general vicinity Biggs had been struck from. “<em>Biggs-</em>”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Biggs cried, tears rolling down his face. “I don’t know; it <em>hurts</em>.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Biggs.” It wasn’t even close because there was still at least seventeen Huns approaching through the woods and Chad could only set so many fires before the Lodge itself was threatened. “Jade-” The other teen was crying too, her cheeks and arms nicked with grazes that were still bleeding. “Get Biggs down to the hatch.”</p>
<p>“But-” She frowned. “You can’t take them by yourself.”</p>
<p>“Sure I can,” Chad replied, keeping his tone light.  “I’ve done it before.”</p>
<p>Under severely different circumstances, but he’d <em>done </em>it.</p>
<p>“Now, go,” he ordered.  “Don’t look back, just <em>go</em>.”</p>
<p>She scrambled to follow his orders, Chad narrowing his gaze towards the hidden markers that seemed to almost blur together.  He supposed that was the point.  He shot an arrow towards the first set of them and grinned when a huddle of attackers seemed to <em>explode</em> into the air at the force of the hidden pressure mine, an addition Carlos had concocted since Maleficent’s failed attack.  He set off each of them as quickly as he could, catching some of the trees on fire but taking care of the majority of the rear attackers until there were only a few left.  Chad trusted the traps to take care of those and went back to firing arrows at the dumb shits trying to climb over the spiked fence covered in skulls.</p>
<p>He was running out of arrows, and on a good day he’d be down there already, but he was tired.  He needed to take care of as many of them as he could from a distance, because even with his axes he wasn’t going to last long in close range combat.  He held off for as long as he could before he saw a few them make it to the top of the fence – and while the traps would get them, the next climber would get through clean.  Chad needed to be down on the ground. </p>
<p>He started climbing. </p>
<p>The fight that followed wasn’t anywhere close to graceful.  Chad would not lie – he relied heavily on his sharpness runes to cut through the Huns’ weapons like butter, to sever their throats before moving on.  He registered a slash against his thigh at some point but put an end to the one who inflicted it, kept swinging his axes until <em>finally</em>, they were all gone.  He waited for a moment, blood pounding furiously in his ears as he searched for more attackers, before stumbling to the backyard. </p>
<p>The few Huns that had made it over the fence died swift and brutal deaths at the hands of his traps, so he moved on.</p>
<p>Chad didn’t allow himself to stumble until he was safely out of sight, and it wasn’t until then that he felt the sting in his calf, blood weeping from an open wound because he hadn’t had time to put his rune-reinforced leg guards back on.  By the time he was inside the Lodge he was marching again, his slight limp dutifully ignored through willpower alone as he gave the knocking all clear signal for the others. </p>
<p>They waited a few minutes before coming out of the trap door, Evie first because she was <em>stubborn as hell</em>, her gaze turning from worried to angry the moment she caught sight of Chad.  He didn’t wait for her to chew him out, mostly because they didn’t have time, so he launched straight into giving orders.</p>
<p>“Arthur, Kadar – head back to Bargain Castle.  Go by the alleys in case any of them are lingering in the forests.  We need a security team for corpse collection and a few of Carlos’ engineers.  They sabotaged the long-distance traps – those need to be fixed, and tell Carlos to have a team check the long-distance traps by Bargain Castle too.”</p>
<p>The two boys nodded before skittering out the front door, running as fast as their legs could carry them.</p>
<p>Chad turned to the others. “Dr. Proulx, Mr. Smee – take care of Jade and Biggs’ injuries.” They’d already started on both of them, but LeFou looked like he wanted to object since Chad was obviously bleeding. “I’m fine for now.  Evie.” He turned his attention to the princess even though he was sure she would ignore him. “Organize the distribution of corpses, please.  Slop Shop, the creperie, and I guess we own the Dim Sum Emporium now.  Check with Hermie and Jay to see if we have anyone ready to take over that shop.  Claudine should have a good idea for how to butcher the bodies-”</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>.” Evie’s hand was firm on his forearm, and he realized belatedly that he’d been swaying. “We’ve got it covered.”</p>
<p>“You can’t let Mal come.” Chad had to say the information before it could escape him. “Make sure she stays at Bargain Castle.  There’s no point in both of us being vulnerable.”</p>
<p>“I’ll make it happen,” Evie promised. “But you need to <em>rest</em>.”</p>
<p>It was going to happen whether he liked it or not, because Chad could already feel his vision getting fuzzy around the edges.</p>
<p>“Okay,” he said, and then may have passed out. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>When he woke up again he was back in his initial treatment room in a new set of clothes, washed and bandaged and feeling so very sore he wanted to crawl under a rock and die.</p>
<p>“Hey, asshole,” Uma muttered, sifting her fingers through his hair. “We killed the ten guys you left for us.”</p>
<p>Those must have been the ones trapped behind the rubble.</p>
<p>“Thanks,” Chad croaked, because he could be courteous. “We need to relocate our medical facilities to Bargain Castle-”</p>
<p>“Sweet <em>evil</em>,” Uma interrupted with a roll of her eyes. “If I agree to pass that on to Evie will you stop thinking and rest?”</p>
<p>“Um…” Chad didn’t actually know if he was capable of that, though he would like to be unconscious again. “…probably.”</p>
<p>Uma sighed, petting his cheek. “At least you’re honest.”</p>
<p>Chad turned, shifting so he could press his face against her thigh. “Sorry I didn’t go get Gil,” he mumbled.  “If it’s any consolation, I really <em>wanted</em> to go to Gil, but I didn’t want him to be a target more, so I didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, we figured that out.” She started scratching the base of his neck – it was sort of the best. “…I’m sorry I got caught up in my frustration.” It was weird hearing an apology from Uma.  Chad wondered if he was hallucinating the whole thing. “It’s easier to think you’re too good to be true than to risk getting disappointed.”</p>
<p>“That’s fair.”</p>
<p>“No,” she growled. “It wasn’t.  It wasn’t fair to <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but that’s just one person.” And he wasn’t all that great anyway. “You gotta do what you gotta do to survive.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t do it to us,” she pointed out. “You trusted us.”</p>
<p>“You have literally never seen my face before today,” Chad mumbled. “I had my own issues to deal with.”</p>
<p>She was quiet for a moment, sharing this safe sort of comfort with him. “Jay said you don’t like talking about the way you look.”</p>
<p>Chad tried to press his face harder into Uma’s thigh, as though it could protect him from the world. “That would be one of the few instances where Jay is right.”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing wrong with you.”</p>
<p>“No,” Chad agreed, squeezing his eyes shut. “I’m quite handsome, aren’t I?”</p>
<p>‘<em>But there’s not much <strong>there</strong></em>’ Audrey would taunt, as though she had any room to talk.</p>
<p>“Alright, let’s not get crazy,” Uma drawled, so deadpan that Chad couldn’t help but choke on a laugh, taken completely off-guard. “I’d say you’re <em>maybe</em> not half-bad looking.”</p>
<p>“I’ll take it,” Chad giggled, feeling close to hysterical. “Downright homely, even.”</p>
<p>“I suppose you’re better than homely.” Uma’s fingers continued to pet careful circles. “But I like your other qualities more.”</p>
<p>“…promise?” Chad murmured, wanting to reach for her, wanting to curl around her body and hold her tight to make sure she didn’t leave.</p>
<p>“Yeah Kit, I promise.”</p>
<p>Chad shivered. “…love you.”</p>
<p>Uma laughed, but it was a relieved thing. “I love you too, you dumb asshole.  Now sleep.”</p>
<p>Like a good soldier, Chad followed his orders, allowing his eyes to drift shut again.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It took a few days for things to get back to normal.  Evie gave him abbreviated reports between bouts of rest.  The bodies that had been successfully recovered had been stripped and sold, half of their heads adorning the Lodge’s fences while the rest went to Bargain Castle.  Carlos already had construction of a new set of chicken coops underway, and Ginny and Wiggins Jr. had started the transfer of medical herbs into the newest greenhouse.  Uma’s crew helped with packing, though they wouldn’t be able to relocate until the coops were done. </p>
<p>They did end up taking over the Dim Sum Emporium, Claudine changing it to a meat pie shop while Yzla took over running the Junk Shop.  They claimed the Huns’ territory and the few businesses they had acquired along with it, along with a handful of new recruits that had been cowering in fear under the might of the Hun threat.  Chad had Jade and Biggs promoted, offered their choice of positions, though both of them stuck with the infirmary – Jade content to stay up high playing lookout and Biggs content as doctor, though he did pass over house management to Mr. Smee. </p>
<p>The others took turns staying with Chad while he recovered, Evie sure to change out the poultice on his wounds regularly to ensure they didn’t get infected.  It was weird being so inactive, but sort of nice to just rest with them, cuddling against their sides or talking to them quietly without fear of maintaining some kind of persona.  Harry was so careful with him it was almost adorable, the first mate seeming to think he could break him with one wrong move.</p>
<p>“Evie said ye were my spirit,” he whispered into Chad’s hair, letting Chad rest against his chest like he always sort of wanted to. “I <em>knew</em> I’d followed ye.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chad sighed. “Don’t know how I missed you.  I just- I needed to breathe.”</p>
<p>“Kit,” Harry repeated, reverent like he would for Uma. “Is that your name?”</p>
<p>“…yeah.” It was.  At least, it was the one his mom had given him, and he liked it more than <em>Chadwick</em>. “Not very intimidating, though.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know about that,” Harry murmured. “But I’m glad this gets to be ours.  Just ours.”</p>
<p>“Just yours,” Chad repeated, curling around him. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad returned to Bargain Castle in the early hours of the morning because if he had to stay in bed another <em>moment</em> he was going to go insane.  He was kind enough to wake Carlos this time, more or less dragging the sleepy inventor back towards the castle after giving LeFou and the others his thanks.  He left Carlos collapsed in the arms of Evie before he set off on his rounds, checking in with his all the secondary department heads before he made a tour around his territory, restocking his quiver and sticking to the rooftops.  He made sure to be seen, strong and in one piece, before moving on, giving the residents of the Isle something to talk about.  Fishing operations down at the beach were well under way, guard patrols safely accompanying the runners back to Bargain Castle, where the fish would be used for dinner.  Both the Lost Revenge and Harriet’s ship owned their respective docks, the crew on duty there offering him waves before they went back to training the next batch of apprentices in sword fighting, rope making, and fishing.  He traded nods with a few of Jay’s thieves that he saw ducking through the marketplace, laughter ringing behind them as they snatched the latest score. </p>
<p>It was dinnertime when he found himself back at Bargain Castle, and Chad watched the inventors’ workshop empty, the aspiring engineers chattering excitedly about creating more efficient generators.  Under Evie’s watchful eye, the alchemy workshop was kept neat and clean as future witches and wizards wrapped up their work, and then there was the gardeners and the seamstresses and the collectors.  So many people in one place working together and it was sort of lovely, that they’d managed this much, that they’d built something so substantial. </p>
<p>Chad took dinner up in the attic to give himself some solitude before making his way down to the lounge, knowing without being told that eventually someone would find him.</p>
<p>Mal was waiting for him when he got there, and immediately pounced when the door clicked shut behind him.</p>
<p>“You fucking <em>shit</em>,” she hissed, pushing him back onto a couch so she could climb on top of him, straddling his hips. “You dumb asshole.  I should strangle you.”</p>
<p>She tugged as his hood impatiently, and he realized she was waiting for him to remove it, because even though she was mad, she wasn’t going to make him bare his face if he didn’t want to. </p>
<p>It was so distinctly generous that Chad easily pushed the hood away, taking off his bandana and mask for her. </p>
<p>She spent about two seconds staring at him before she started covering his face in kisses. “Fighting off the damn Huns alone <em>after</em> they disable all our fucking traps-”</p>
<p>“Most of the traps,” Chad clarified, earning an irritated growl before Mal was claiming his lips with an insistent fervor.</p>
<p>In all honesty, Chad had been terrified of how much he could deliver on the um- kissing front, but Mal was so enthusiastic he couldn’t really spare much attention to how he was doing because she was trying to <em>devour his face</em>.</p>
<p>“Leaving <em>Gil</em> in the basement,” she snapped, beginning to nibble at his neck.</p>
<p>Oh, that was.  Chad liked that.</p>
<p>“Had to,” Chad gasped. “He was the only one strong enough to fight through the wreckage if I had to flatten the house.”</p>
<p>Mal leaned back with a scowl.  “And when the fuck did you add some kind of house-imploding trap to the Lodge?”</p>
<p>“…a few months ago?” The Lodge had never been Mal’s territory, so he hadn’t thought to tell her. “Dr. Proulx and Biggs knew about it.”</p>
<p>“But <em>I</em> didn’t,” Mal snapped. “I’m your partner!”</p>
<p>“You never go to the Lodge.”</p>
<p>“But I should still know about it,” Mal pressed, attacking his throat with renewed interest. “That’s the fucking- you need to tell me shit.  You need to <em>not</em> sneak out in the early hours of the morning when you’re fucking sick, you stubborn stupid <em>asshole</em>, because you don’t get to worry about <em>us</em> all the time without giving a single shit towards <em>yourself</em>.  Like, I get that you maybe don’t like yourself for whatever fucking reason, but <em>we</em> do, damnit!” </p>
<p>Her chest was heaving by the time she was done with him, eyes seeming to tinge a brighter shade of green, like her Fae blood was finally roaring through.</p>
<p>“We do,” she repeated, jabbing a finger into his chest. “And we want you around for as long as possible so…” She swallowed, draping herself against his chest and just sort of staying there for a bit. “…guess who’s always having a buddy from now on?”</p>
<p>Chad groaned. “Mal-”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Her fists curled into the fabric of his coat in a clear threat. “We can take shifts, it can be a different person every day, but you spend so much time making sure we’re surrounded by like, good support structures while you run around by yourself.  Fuck, we practically reinforced that while we weren’t talking to you like dumb assholes, until you like- thought that was how things have to be and they <em>don’t</em>.” She looked up at him carefully, for the first time since he’d known her, seeming small. “You’re ours, Kit.  And we take care of what’s <em>ours</em>.”</p>
<p>Chad swallowed, allowed himself to hug this feisty, passionate thing against his chest because he loved Mal, he loved her crankiness and her artistry and her easy leadership skills.  He loved her hair and her laugh and her vicious form of protectiveness.  And maybe he’d loved it for a long time but this was the first moment he could acknowledge it, acknowledge <em>her</em> and everything she was.</p>
<p>“I love you,” he said quietly, hoping she wouldn’t take offence.</p>
<p>“Fucking <em>yes</em>, you do,” she hissed, but her expression was one of victory, her hands latching onto him as tightly as he clung to her. “You didn’t tell Evie until you were half out of your mind with fever, and then you went on about how much you love Gil for like, ten minutes before you casually mention the fact that you love all of us.  And I should be mad at you for that, but you’ve always sucked with words anyway.” She hugged him tight. “You show us how you love us by keeping us safe and getting us things we like and taking out our parents and giving us power.  You fucking stayed away from Gil because you loved him so much, you didn’t come after any of us when <em>we</em> stayed away because you love us so much, it just took us forever to figure it out.”</p>
<p>“Um…” Chad swallowed. “Do you um… love me too?”</p>
<p>Mal gave him an incredulous expression. “Of course I do, you dipshit.  Do you think I started crawling into your bed because we’re <em>siblings</em>?  I love you even if you’re a dumb fuck sometimes.”</p>
<p>“I feel that way about Jay and Harry,” Chad replied honestly.</p>
<p>He reveled in the bellow of laughter it earned him.</p>
<p>“I <em>also</em> feel that way about them,” Mal cackled. “And Uma, when she’s being stubborn.  Though honestly, she’s doing better than you nowadays.”</p>
<p>“You’re not wrong,” Chad hummed. “Makes me feel bad for Evie, Gil, and Carlos sometimes.”</p>
<p>Mal snorted. “They knew what they were getting into.  And now that you’ve let down your walls…” She caressed the side of his face. “They’re going to be a <em>whole</em> lot more committed.”</p>
<p>Chad shifted uneasily. “…Mal.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry,” she huffed. “Evie already told me how worried you are about kissing.  Though I do wonder who this Jane person is.”</p>
<p>Chad tensed. “…someone who isn’t here.”</p>
<p>There was a pause. “<em>Fuck</em>.” Mal squeezed his side. “Sorry.”</p>
<p>“I mean, it’s for the best.” Chad shrugged.</p>
<p>Mal smacked him in the side of the face. “Stop being stupid.  My point it, we all happily volunteer to help you practice.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Chad could feel himself blushing. “Um.  I am worried about how I’ll um- respond to… <em>that</em> sort of stimulation.”</p>
<p>Mal’s response was to hold him tighter. “We’ll figure it out,” she promised. “We’ll take it nice and slow and red-green-yellow our way to happy times.” She dropped her voice lower. “Jay said he got to give you a blowjob once and has been fucking <em>obnoxious</em> about it ever since, so if you want to hold out on him, the rest of us wouldn’t mind.”</p>
<p>Chad laughed. “I don’t know if I can do that,” he replied honestly.  Jay had grown on him, sort of like a fungus.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s what I figured.” Mal curled into him. “Guy tries to steal from you and your go-to response is <em>bondage</em>.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t unreasonable,” Chad sputtered.  “I needed him to stay still.”</p>
<p>“Well, you kept parts of him still,” Mal laughed. “Guess it worked out.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chad sighed, a happy smile on his lips. “I guess it did.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you guys for all the wonderful support and feedback!!!  I’m still catching up on my backlog, but please know I will respond to your comments – I am deeply appreciative of all your enthusiasm, and always enjoy reading your responses :)</p>
<p>We’re almost to the end now, team!!  Just a few more chapters, and then I’ll be posting the finale along with the deleted scenes (of which there are quite a few) along with the first chapter of my next Chad poly fic.  It will not be quite as epic as this one as it leans more towards humor, but I promise an abundance of messes, so we can at least enjoy that ;D</p>
<p>Story notes:</p>
<p>For Evie’s last name, Hatzfeld is from the actual evil queen the story is based off of – at least according to my quick Google search.</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Opportunity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gil found his way into Chad’s room when the sun had dipped far past the horizon, when the castle was winding down for the night and the guard shifts were rotating out.  It was as close to calm as they ever got on the Isle, and while Chad had expected Gil’s visit, he still wasn’t entirely prepared for it when the moment finally came.</p>
<p>“Hi.” Gil offered him a shy wave as he reset the door traps behind him – weeks of Jay’s tutelage making the action fluid and second nature rather than the clumsy, anxiety-driven actions from before. “Can I stay here tonight?”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Chad’s throat felt thick.  Of all the things he’d muttered in his fever-induced delirium, he was slightly embarrassed by how much he’d gone on about Gil, and the deep-seeded love he’d more or less buried for the blond pirate over the course of the year.  In Chad’s more coherent moments, Gil had assured him this feeling was returned (not that Chad had doubted as much), he was still uneasy, he supposed, showing off his greatest weakness. </p>
<p>If his mom were still alive, he was sure she’d have a thing or two to say about considering love a weakness, and maybe Chad would agree with her, but unfortunately her love had led to her demise, so he was a bit cautious when it came to that particular subject.</p>
<p>Gil perched himself on the edge of the bed like he had any other time he’d stayed with Chad, content to watch the prince wrap up the day’s tasks and get everything settled for tomorrow.  It was the first time they’d shared a space together since Chad’s illness, and while he was always grateful for the opportunity, he couldn’t help but feel a bit... raw, he supposed.  Like some of his armor had been ripped away. </p>
<p>He supposed it had.</p>
<p>It took Chad a bit longer to get ready for bed, hesitating with his mask before he finally pulled it off, leaving it on the nightstand next to his bandana and coat.  Gil said nothing during this process, neither coaxing nor discouraging, though he did offer Chad a fond smile when he was finally ready.</p>
<p>“I um...” Gil looked down, staring at the hands in his lap. “I’d like to touch you, if that’s okay.”</p>
<p>Chad’s heart squeezed in his chest. “Gil...”</p>
<p>“Or have you touch me, if that’s too much,” he continued with a directness that gave Chad the feeling he’d practiced this little speech. “I know you... you don’t want to taint me or Evie, but um- you couldn’t do that if you tried, okay?  You’re not dirty and you’re not broken, you’re just-” He looked up with a shaky smile. “You’re Volker<em>.  </em>You’re <em>Kit</em>.  You’re ours and I um- I want to be with you, please.  Like you are with the others.”</p>
<p>Chad was not so lost to his uncertainty that he missed the slight tremble of Gil’s shoulders, the pirate trying too hard to put on a brave face when he was scared of rejection, that Chad would deny him <em>this</em> when he so readily gave it to the others, when the entire reason Chad had denied him in the first place was because he was pretty sure he’d never be able to turn himself away if he did.  He’d just keep chasing after Gil who was devoted to Uma, who was devoted to Harry, who couldn’t spare time for Chad because he was a nobody.</p>
<p><em>But</em>. </p>
<p>Mal had already told Chad that Gil was devoted to him too, and maybe Chad should trust that.  Trust that he could have this.</p>
<p>“...okay,” Chad said quietly, trying not to flinch at Gil’s open look of surprise. “Yes, Gil.  We can... I’d like to do that.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Gil said with more confidence, sliding into a smile. “What um- what would you like to do?  Where do you want me?”</p>
<p>If they were doing this, if they were <em>committing</em> to this, then Chad wanted to treat it like it was his only chance, wanted to have no regrets.  “Just, stay there,” he said, and with a confidence he did not feel, he moved to straddle Gil’s lap so that he was facing him the way he’d never thought to dare, but had always wanted to try.</p>
<p>“Oh...” Slowly, Gils’ broad hands settled on his hips, a delicious flush dusting broad cheekbones. “This is good.”</p>
<p>“I um-” Chad wished he felt something close to <em>suave</em>. “I’d like to kiss you, if that’s okay.”</p>
<p>“<em>Yes</em>,” Gil said with an insistence he didn’t even seem embarrassed about, happy to tilt his head forward until he was capturing Chad’s lips. </p>
<p>Unlike Mal, Gil’s lips were broad, slightly chapped but sweet in their efforts, moving against Chad with an easy sort of confidence that made Chad wonder if Gil had practiced this too, if he and Harry had spent moments hidden in dark corners to trade kisses and <em>fuck</em> was that a delightful thought, Gil studying and practicing just for him, flushing under the administrations of his teachers.  Maybe a cocky Jay or a confident Evie, maybe even a wicked Mal. </p>
<p>“This is good,” Gil mumbled against his lips, shifting Chad closer to him. “This is very good.”</p>
<p>One of his broad hands hesitated on Chad’s waist before shifting deliberately lower, squeezing the curve of his rear in a firm movement that surrendered Chad to a full body shiver.</p>
<p>“Carlos likes that too.” Gil grinned, kissing Chad carefully before pushing his tongue inside and that was, um- sort of embarrassing.  Chad had seen that sort of thing in the movies but he’d never tried himself but it was good - Gil tasting like minty leftover toothpaste where Chad probably tasted super gross but Gil was still happy to kiss him and grind him forward and-</p>
<p>Chad felt himself gasp at the first stirs of heat sinking down his torso.  He’d vaguely registered their accumulation before but now there was no denying the fact he was <em>aroused </em>and he hadn’t even been drugged into the situation.</p>
<p>“Feel good?” Gil murmured, pressing kisses against Chad’s neck as one of his hands shifted between them, dipping under Chad’s waist to- “Can I um- touch you?”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Chad hissed, burying his face in Gil’s shoulder.  It felt good, he was <em>allowed</em> to feel good but part of him was still freaking out, even though it was Gil, who’d never hurt him. “Y-Yes.”</p>
<p>“We can wait,” Gil promised, pressing a kiss to Chad’s cheek, letting his hand settle back on his hips. “We can just keep kissing.  I’m happy with kissing.”</p>
<p>“N-No.” Chad shook his head. “I trust you.  I can- we need to do this.”</p>
<p>“No, we don’t,” Gil hummed, tucking Chad closer to him. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.  And if you never take your clothes off for us, that’s okay.  We love you anyway.”</p>
<p>Chad shuddered. “<em>Gil</em>.”</p>
<p>“We love you,” Gil repeated. “Exactly as you are.”</p>
<p>“And I love you,” Chad whispered, didn’t even feel like he might get stabbed in the back for it. “And I trust you.  You can touch me.”</p>
<p>“Say ‘red’ if it gets bad,” Gil warned, and then he moved with deliberate slowness, gradually pushing his hand into Chad’s underwear so he could <em>touch</em>-</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Chad groaned, feeling embarrassed by how markedly overwhelming it all was. “Fuck, Gil.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Gil preened, kissing his forehead happily. “Harry says I’m pretty good at this now.  Do you like it?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes.” Chad nodded roughly, letting his hips rut into Gil’s broad palm. “Um- are you-?”</p>
<p>“This is about you,” Gil interrupted. “I want <em>you</em> to feel good.  You can touch me later, if you want.”</p>
<p>“I <em>always</em> want,” Chad murmured roughly, close to overwhelmed but still safe and good. “Even if I knew I shouldn’t.”</p>
<p>“I’m yours, now,” Gil said innocently, as though the very idea did not rock Chad entirely to his core. “We’re yours, and you can have whatever you want.”</p>
<p>“I want you naked on my bed,” Chad moaned as Gil’s hand worked faster, as he came closer to the edge. “I want you flushed and panting my name, I want that smile you get when you’re <em>truly</em> happy and I want to be the one who gave it to you.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Gil whispered, shuddering and distinctly affected underneath Chad. “Yes.  Yes, I want that too.”</p>
<p>“And maybe Uma’s watching to make sure I do a good job.” Chad wasn’t sure what made him say it, but it didn’t feel like a lie, even if it was beyond anything he’d ever dared to comprehend. “Because I <em>want </em>to do a good job.  I want to make you happy because you deserve it because you’re so good, Gil.”</p>
<p>“Evie could help,” Gil offered, blushing hotly. “She wouldn’t be tempted to um- distract you.  And she could um- verify.  If you- do you think she’d want to-”</p>
<p>“She’d be crazy not to,” Chad declared with a whine, Gil’s hand doing truly filthy things to him. “Fuck, Gil.  I’m close.  I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>“Do it,” Gil urged, sucking hard at Chad’s neck. “I wanna feel you in my hand, I wanna lick you clean.  Do it for me, Kit.  Please.  Please, do it for me.”</p>
<p>“<em>Gil</em>.” Chad fumbled for his chin until he could properly kiss Gil, until he could fall over the edge with Gil’s mouth against his, moaning into those flushed lips and reveling in every moment of it, that this was theirs, that no one could take it.</p>
<p>Gil guided him through the entire process, until Chad was a mess of oversensitive shivers.  He realized after a moment that Gil had lost himself as well from just helping <em>Chad</em>, and that was a flattering and exciting and overwhelming prospect in itself.</p>
<p>Gil spent a few moments more kissing him before licking his hand clean, Chad shuddering while he listened to Gil’s quiet moans of appreciation around slick digits.</p>
<p>“We should um- bathe,” Chad offered, because if he was a mess, Gil likely wasn’t much better, and the other teen’s face split in a brilliant grin, the pirate picking Chad up in a bridal carry and marching him to the bathroom before he could consider protesting.</p>
<p>Not that he would, but still.  The principal was there.</p>
<p>As was Chad’s happiness.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>From then on, one of them was always with him.  They seemed to take shifts in patterns he couldn’t accurately predict, though he guessed that was Carlos and Evie’s doing, taking a page from his book to be unpredictable so he couldn’t expect a guard change.  Still, it was sort of nice to have the extra help with whatever he was working on at the time, though after a few days, he had to negotiate <em>personal</em> time for things like meditation and arguing with Cassim, which had become non-department head related highlights of his day. </p>
<p>It took some negotiation, but they seemed to find a balance that worked.  Things were better, the cheer of the leadership team dripping down the rest of the ranks until the army was bustling at a sort of level peace. </p>
<p>Everything was going smoothly, and then the edict came.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“What is it?” Evie asked as Chad read over the scroll handed to him by the Auradon steward.  The man had been instructed to pass the document on to Maleficent, and when that failed, to Cruella or Jafar or Queen Grimhilde – but Chad had killed three of those four people and permanently banished the third, so when the Auradon assembly had asked the petty criminals where to go, they had been directed to Bargain Castle. </p>
<p>They hadn’t exactly <em>wanted</em> to hand over the edict to a young menacing teenager they had no information on, but it was Chad’s army against four guards, and frankly, he could have taken the guards down on his own.  It was not a mystery as to who had won that fight.</p>
<p>“An invitation,” Chad drawled, knowing Darla was nearby doing her best to eavesdrop, that she would pass the information on to the rest of his troops without him ever having to exert the effort himself. “It looks like the future king of Auradon is inviting you, Mal, Carlos, and Jay to Auradon to ‘start a new era of peace between our people’.”</p>
<p>“He makes us sound like guests,” Evie muttered under her breath. “As though we have any choice.”</p>
<p>“Best not to dwell on it,” Chad advised, clearing his throat as he returned his attention to the steward. “You’ll be back in a week to retrieve them?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Mr.… Volker,” the steward said, echoing the words Darla stage whispered to him.  “All of their needs will be seen to-”</p>
<p>“As I would expect from the self-proclaimed protagonists of this world,” Chad drawled. “Will you be driving to the same dock you used today?”</p>
<p>“…that was our plan,” the steward said, confused by this information.</p>
<p>“Then I’ll ensure the area is secured for your pickup,” Chad said, tucking the scroll into his jacket. “You will have no complications on our end.  Helvig!” The blond perked up from where she’d been lingering nearby, her hand curled against the hilt of her sword. “Please lead a squad to escort these gentlemen back to their vehicle.  See to it that they make it there safely.”  </p>
<p>“Yes, sir,” Helvig hissed, throwing up a tight salute before motioning to the squad she’d kept on hand for just such purposes, Clay already holding his bow at the ready, itching for a fight.</p>
<p>Chad turned his attention back to the steward. “Thank you for your time, gentlemen.  Mal, Carlos, Jay, and her royal highness will be ready for you in a week.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Mr. Volker,” the steward said, offering a hasty bow. “Good day.”</p>
<p>“To you as well,” Chad said, smiling behind his mask as the Auradon escort was taking back to their car, Evie standing straight and tall beside him.</p>
<p>He waited a moment, then cleared his throat. “What are you waiting for?” he said, catching those that were lingering. “Get back to work!”</p>
<p>They did, but this-</p>
<p>This was everything.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>There were preparations to be done.  Plans to be made.  Evie had already gotten started on who they would need to reassign duties to – who would get promotions, what would need to be done.  Mal had her brows furrowed with distinct unhappiness, likely frustrated that she would be cut off from her powerbase, but it was ultimately for the best.  Chad knew she wanted to get with him on making a plan for when she and the others were <em>outside</em>, and he had one, it just wasn’t one she was going to like.</p>
<p>It mostly culminated in a note to a certain someone who <em>might</em> be able to help – assuming he took the time to read the thing at all.</p>
<p>Chad felt better when he had it in hand, but even then, Chad knew he wouldn’t get off this time without providing some sort of explanation.  It was with a palpable anxiety that he flagged Mal down, waiting until all their different departments were suitably distracted with their tasks.</p>
<p>“Hey,” he said whenever she drew close. “I need to talk to you.  Privately.”</p>
<p>Some of his nerves and the severity of his situation must have shone through because Mal merely nodded, though not before grabbing his wrist in a reassuring squeeze. “Ten minutes, my room,” she said, and that was all there was to it.</p>
<p>At least, until it was ten minutes later, when Mal trooped into her room with <em>everyone else</em> on her heels, looking predictably contrary as she motioned for Gil to hug Chad, trying to get in some preventative good feelings.  And damnit, it <em>worked</em>.</p>
<p>“<em>Mal</em>,” Chad attempted to chide, though it was less successful when Gil cuddled him close, brushing Chad’s hood out of the way so he could more easily nuzzle the prince’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Don’t ‘Mal’ me,” the purple haired teen huffed, motioning for everyone to take a seat while Jay locked up behind them. “We’re not doing this mysterious shit anymore.  You wanna talk, <em>talk</em>.”</p>
<p>To all of them.</p>
<p>Chad did not sigh, though he did take some comfort in the way Gil pulled him into his lap atop the couch, something Chad was still getting used to but loved very, very much.</p>
<p>He decided to cut to the point. “I haven’t been entirely honest with you,” he explained, and it was a credit to their trust in him that no one immediately reacted negatively. “…I wasn’t born on the Isle.”</p>
<p><em>That</em> got their attention.</p>
<p>“You were a prisoner?” Uma said, looking him over in a new light. “How?  I didn’t think they sent over kids.”</p>
<p>“And I didn’t see you at barge day,” Jay added.  Jay, who never missed a new shipment of goods, who saw all the new prisoners get released onto the Isle, likely stole from them too.</p>
<p>“My confinement to the Isle is a bit unique,” Chad dismissed, because that wasn’t the important part. “What matters is that I, before my confinement, was… associates with Prince Benjamin.”</p>
<p>For a moment, no one said anything.</p>
<p>“When ye say <em>associates</em>…” Harry began with a hard scowl.</p>
<p>Chad rolled his eyes. “I mean literal associates, not what we have.” That, for whatever reason, made a lot of them relax.  It was sort of flattering, that they thought a prince could give a shit about him, even though they were so very wrong. “He didn’t know about my imprisonment,” Chad continued, withdrawing his note. “Mal, I need you to give him this when you arrive.  There’s a chance that our past interactions might make him inclined to help us.”</p>
<p>“Do I get to read this note?” Mal asked, quirking a brow at him.</p>
<p>“You can try,” Chad said, passing the note over to her.  She wouldn’t be successful, because it was written in code – twice, once in a cobbled together language Chad and Ben had invented when they were younger and substantially more foolish, and once in a Light Fae code Jane would be able to detect, assuming Ben was smart enough to recognize that for what it was.</p>
<p>Mal stared at the incomprehensible cipher before refolding the note with a pout, crossing her arms. “Do you really think this prince-dude will help us?”</p>
<p>“Ben’s good,” Chad said, because that needed to be established. “He’s dumb but well-meaning, and if he can help us, he probably will.”</p>
<p>“You know him,” Evie repeated, blinking in wonder as the implication finally dawned on her. “That was why you were saying I should marry Ben.”</p>
<p>“Well.” Chad flushed. “You would be doing him a favor, really.”</p>
<p>“Because he’s dumb,” Uma said.</p>
<p>“But kind hearted,” Chad replied.  It was important. “The point is, there might be people out there in Auradon who doubt you, who won’t have your best intentions in mind, but Ben <em>will</em>.  Don’t doubt his support or his concern, because they will both be entirely genuine, as hard as that might be to believe.”</p>
<p>“This guy’s the real deal?” Mal said, both eyebrows raised as she looked at Chad.</p>
<p>“As close as you’re going to get,” Chad confirmed.  “One more thing,” he said, looking forward to this part the least. “If he does help, he’s probably going to refer to me by a different name.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Jay scoffed. “Kit.”</p>
<p>“No.” Chad shook his head, holding steady in wake of their confusion. “That’s a private name.  That’s <em>mine</em>, and yours.  He’ll um- he’ll probably refer to me as Chad.”</p>
<p>There was a pause.</p>
<p>“<em>Chad?</em>” Mal echoed, brows furrowed together like she couldn’t even comprehend it. “Your name is Chad?”</p>
<p>“That was what they called me,” Chad countered. “I told you, my name is Kit.”</p>
<p>“Our name,” Gil said, voice quiet. “Your name, the special one.”</p>
<p>Chad nodded slowly, and was relieved to see their incredulity ease away to something more relaxed. “I know it’s dumb, I just didn’t want you to get caught off guard.”  </p>
<p>Uma scoffed. “It’s a good thing you changed it to Volker when you got here,” she said. “No one would be afraid of <em>Chad</em>.”</p>
<p>“Don’t have to be afraid to die easily,” Chad said, and it probably said something that he had minorly expected Mal to pull him into a deep kiss after this, as though reveling in his more ruthless tendencies.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Mal said when she pulled away, giving Chad’s lips a few last licks. “We’ll deliver your dumb note.  But if that doesn’t work-”</p>
<p>“I need you to hold course,” Chad said, and the sudden tension that fell over them was something he actually <em>had</em> predicted.</p>
<p>“What does that mean?” Evie asked carefully. “If we’re outside the barrier, we could try to get Fairy Godmother’s wand-”</p>
<p>“No.” Chad shook his head.  “I know this will likely go against every instinct you have, but there’s a reason I made Hagen’s etiquette class mandatory.  Things work differently in Auradon.  We could potentially take our freedom by force, but if we want to make longer lasting, more effective changes, we need to do this their way.  We need to get legislature passed to release the kids and petty criminals from the Isle once and for all.  To do that, you have to show them that you’re just <em>kids</em>.  You’re not the monsters the propaganda says you are.  You’re artists and seamstresses and engineers and businessmen.” With each of these, he turned to Mal, turned to Evie and Carlos and Jay, so they could understand. “They need to see the ramifications of their poor choices and <em>want</em> to fix it.”</p>
<p>“How long is that going to take?” Uma snapped, arms folding across her chest. “They have to do that while we rot?”</p>
<p>“No, captain,” Chad said. “We’ll survive, just like we’ve been doing.  We’ll hold on.  I know this is frustrating-” </p>
<p>“You don’t know the half of it,” Mal murmured, her jaw set in a frown.</p>
<p>“-but this is for the best,” Chad continued. “It will probably take a long time, it will be hard, but if you can show them you’re capable of goodness, they’ll want to get the rest of the kids off.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Mal hissed, sharing an unhappy look with Uma. “We better hope your damn note works then, because that sounds like it’ll take forever.”</p>
<p>“It probably will,” Chad admitted. “But it’s the best choice.  Trust me.”</p>
<p>Mal’s head whipped back towards him with an intensity that could not be denied. “<em>Always</em>.”</p>
<p>“In that case, let’s get in some last minute snuggles,” Uma said. “Since we might be parted for a while.”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t like to think about it, wouldn’t if he didn’t have to, but there was no hiding the way their expressions fell.  They took turns hugging and kissing each other, making the rounds before settling, and it probably should have been less of a surprise that Chad ended up with Mal in his lap.  Jay cuddled with Gil, and Evie had Harry, leaving Uma to pull Carlos into her lap and tease him with soft kisses that made him moan. </p>
<p>“It will be okay,” Chad said, more for his own benefit than anyone else, because he needed to believe it to. “I trust you, Mal.  It will be okay.”</p>
<p>“It better be,” Mal said, and then she kissed him deeper.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Parting was a somber affair, and while Chad acknowledged that the pickup location could very well be a good place for someone to lay an ambush, he had already killed or done away with most of the major players on the Isle who would have attempted such a thing.  And while he was not one to show his attachments, he <em>was</em> a general, so he acted like one, stoically watching four of his department heads load into the limousine Ben had sent for them.</p>
<p>Chad had already given each of them the attention he could the day before, in private.  He’s already rewarded Jay, nipping at his chest with Uma while Mal pinned his arms above his head.  He’d already held Evie, kissing her neck and whispering how talented she was while Gil knelt between her legs, face buried in her groin while he dutifully ‘practiced’.  He’d already stretched Carlos wide while Harry pulled him into filthy kisses, the young De Ville busting out of his lingerie, shy and bashful until he realized it drove Harry <em>wild</em>, the first mate unable to keep his hands off of Carlos, letting the young De Ville ride him while Chad pulled him into careful kisses. </p>
<p>Mal, Chad and Uma took care of together, Chad curling his fingers deep into her familiar warmth while the other two made out, Uma undoing Mal’s many layers until she could slide a hand under her shirt and give her chest a firm <em>squeeze</em>, Mal whining while Uma massaged and teased, the two forceful personalities trading hungry kisses until Mal was falling apart. </p>
<p>Chad knew there were other combinations, knew the others traded what tokens they could.  Chad had given each of his leaving partners a coded note expressing his affection towards them, his pride at their strengths, his certainty in their abilities.  He knew Gil had put his rope-making skills to use and woven each of them a bracelet out of scrap material Dizzy had snuck him from the sewing room. </p>
<p>He knew Harry had created each of them special patches – combinations of red, aqua, yellow, and light blue – to represent the partners they were leaving behind.  He sewed each of these patches somewhere in the lining of their clothes, so they could be close to their Auradon partners even when they seemed far. </p>
<p>Uma’s gift was less corporeal.  For each of them, she made lullabies.  Short things she sang into their ear, leaving folded up copies of the lyrics within Chad’s coded notes so that they could know they were cared for, treasured. </p>
<p>Chad thought that would be the end of it but of course it wasn’t.  Of course Mal wasn’t one to be outdone, the half-Fae working with Diaval to embed a set of sheathed knives with poison, leaving one each with Chad, Uma, Gil, and Harry as an added layer of protection.  She marked up each of their necks when she handed the gifts over, sucking dark bruises as an open claim, eyes fierce and possessive, sending shivers down Chad’s spine.  He was pretty sure there was no greater sight than Mal marking Harry’s neck in front of the rest of them, the first mate moaning, visibly <em>wrecked</em> from that alone until Mal had him crumpling to his knees, begging to use the hands she had clasped in her grip to relieve some of the growing ache. </p>
<p>Of course, Mal was never so kind, and ended up letting Jay strip the pirate bare until she could splay him across the bed, let each of the Auradon-bound teens take their turns teasing him into an incoherent stupor. </p>
<p>Evie’s gifts were just as practical, if a bit more flashy.  Like Harry, she utilized her sewing skills to create a clothing piece marked with a symbol that combined all their colors in a sort of off-brand rainbow.  There was purple, for Mal, and light blue for Chad (for all that he wore brown all the time, the others were unanimous in their decision that his color was <em>blue</em>).  Uma had an aqua that matched her hair – which was the same reason Evie’s color was navy.  Gil had yellow, his favorite color and a token to match his sunshine personality, and Jay maroon, a dark red to match his Agraben roots.  Carlos got black <em>and</em> white, the dichotomy of his flair for fashion and his sharp intellect, a color pallet reclaimed from his mother, and Harry was, of course, <em>red</em>, and while the end result could have been a catastrophe, Evie made them look like works of art, and Chad cherished them.</p>
<p>His gift had been an armband based in deep brown to blend into his coat, making her colored patch stand out against his neutral color pallet.  Harry had gotten a wrist cuff to wear just above his glove, and Uma a fringed hip scarf to go around her waist.  Gil’s was sewn into a belt so he could wear it across his chest like a badge of honor, and Chad knew Mal had committed the image of the four of them wearing their gifts to memory so she could sketch pictures of it later.</p>
<p>(Mal had also gifted each of them pictures – perfect sketches of the group of them together, but those she had considered frivolous, despite the fact that Chad loved them almost more than the ever-practical knives). </p>
<p>Jay had taken his time combing the Isle until he managed to steal jewelry he thought best suited each of them.  He blushed when he slipped a brass ring onto Gil’s finger, who gave him a bright smile that could not be denied.  For Harry, Jay had a bracelet studded with rubies, and <em>that</em> he gifted to the first mate when he was naked and flushed while the others teased them, Harry trying to moan a protest and failing because he really loved to be pampered. </p>
<p>He gave Uma a necklace studied with aquamarines, combined with another necklace Chad was pretty sure Jay had made himself, a collection of tiny shells that must have taken forever to collect, which made Chad wonder how long, exactly, Jay had held a candle for Uma.</p>
<p>Chad’s gift had been carefully selected, that much he could tell by how Jay watched him unfold the cloth surrounding it – his expression worried, but hopeful.  It was an ear cuff – small, simple but elegant, comprised of tiny swirls you could only see if you looked close enough.</p>
<p>“For um, you,” Jay said, as though Chad could mistake the prize made of Agraben gold – a private hoard, perhaps.</p>
<p>And now, Jay had given it to him.</p>
<p>“I love it,” Chad said, and just like every other time he gave Jay positive attention without his mask on, the other teen beamed, leaning forward in the hopeful press to get a kiss.</p>
<p>Chad was happy to oblige him.  He was happy to oblige <em>all</em> of them.</p>
<p>Carlos ended up making the same thing for all of them.</p>
<p>“They’re tazers,” he explained, handing them out at the same time. “Dig the prongs into your enemy’s skin and they’ll send an electric jolt through their body.  I only designed it to stun, though, on the off-hand chance they got turned against you-”</p>
<p>“They’re brilliant,” Chad interrupted, grinning, and it was by unanimous decision that the four of them ravished Carlos then and there, the young inventor stuttering objections that they weren’t <em>that great</em> all the while.</p>
<p>“You and I have different definitions of greatness,” Uma said later, running a hand through his mussed curls. </p>
<p>A week went by too quickly, but Chad knew this was for the best.  Even if he hadn’t gotten them off the Isle himself, at least four of them were getting free.  Even if they weren’t able to get the rest of their army off anytime soon, they would have a good life.  Chad took comfort in that.  He prepped the army for their leave as best he could, allowing each of them to select the people who would step into their department head positions.  Even Mal had chosen someone to take her place, though that person was of course Uma, who was awarded that honor at a brief ceremony after dinner, in front of the entirety of their sizeable crew. </p>
<p>It was sort of wild, how things had grown, but Chad supposed that was just the way things went when you combined teamwork with a little outside magic. </p>
<p>“This isn’t goodbye,” Mal said before she slid into the limousine, gaze laden with frustration that she couldn’t kiss Chad then and there. “So don’t think it is.”</p>
<p>“I don’t,” Chad said lightly, even though he could never really know. “Safe winds, Bruiser.”</p>
<p>“Back at ya, slick,” she said, giving him a two-fingered salute, and then the door shut behind her.</p>
<p>Chad waited until they were outside the barrier, disappearing on a bridge of magic, before he turned back to his assembled workers.</p>
<p>“Well?” he prompted, capturing their attention with a few blinks. “What are you waiting for?  Get to work.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They were not lazy, with Mal and the others gone.</p>
<p>Chad prepared as though Ben would decipher the note and help them in the most expeditious fashion.  He knew the future king would potentially come for Chad, it was just getting him to see that the other children and petty criminals were worthy of his aid as well, which Chad was sure he could do, assuming Ben actually came at all. </p>
<p>So he sent out scouts.  The moment the invitation had been sent, Chad had made one last recruitment effort to bring aboard whatever children, VKs, and petty criminals that had yet to sign up with him.  If they were a part of Volker’s company, he knew he had a better shot of getting them off the Isle. </p>
<p>Uma didn’t really know what he was planning, but she supported him anyway, working with him to make the inventory numbers work long term.  It was better now that it was summer – things felt more inclined to grow, but also Chad had killed off a fair enough portion of the Isle that goods seemed to be more readily available, which made them less fought over.   </p>
<p>Chad kept watchers assigned to the borders of the Isle, in case the magic bridge returned.  While he had scheduled them to be in position since the moment Mal left, he hadn’t expected to get any kind of immediate response from them.</p>
<p>Which just went to prove how wrong he was, because the limo came back <em>that night</em>, and all damn hell broke loose.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is it, folks!  We are almost at the end.  Next update will have the final chapter plus deleted scenes, as well as the first chapter of my next poly fic ‘The Bitch of Living’.  Thank you so much for your generous outpouring of enthusiasm!!  It is always appreciated, especially for this story, which I thought would only be liked by me.  I’m grateful that you’ve proven me wrong!!  </p>
<p>Story notes: </p>
<p>Hey, check it out, we caught up to the plot of Descendants 1!  It is now officially Ben’s sophomore year at Auradon Prep. </p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Coming Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It seemed like whatever calm acceptance had fallen over the Isle during Mal and the others’ pickup ended for this unscheduled return.  Villains saw a portion of the barrier drop for what was no apparent reason and thought that <em>now</em> was their chance to strike. </p>
<p>Luckily, Chad had prepared for this eventuality and already had all of his people in the square, his guard teams armed with barrier runes he had briefed them on how to use that morning.</p>
<p>They placed them against the ground and activated them, creating a secondary barrier to keep the hole in the <em>actual</em> barrier from being accessed, and all the while other villains began throwing themselves at the invisible wall, snarling and waving their makeshift weapons.</p>
<p>It was Chad’s duty to maintain order through the chaos, and yet, he couldn’t help but have his attention dragged over towards the waving visage of <em>Ben</em>.  Ben, who he had not seen in over a year, who was still just as goofy and smiling and waving and <em>it was just him</em>. </p>
<p>Chad found himself by the other prince’s side before he even knew what was happening.</p>
<p>“Did you-?” Chad had to make himself stop talking, his disbelief was so strong. “Did you come without guards, you dumb asshole?”</p>
<p>“Chad!” Ben cheered, ever relentless and refusing to be aware of the literal <em>battle</em> that was brewing behind them. “It’s you!  Of course it’s you,” he continued, pulling Chad into a hug. “You’re the only one who calls me stupid!”</p>
<p>“That’s because you <em>are</em> stupid!” Chad snapped, and that was the reason, and not his desperate effort to make Ben stop liking him so he could live. “Did you bother to think before you came here?!”</p>
<p>“Nope!” Ben seemed really cheerful about this. “For once, I didn’t think at all, which in hindsight was a bad idea.”</p>
<p>“It’s the <em>Isle of the Lost-</em>”</p>
<p>“Exactly!” Ben grinned like a lunatic.  Why did Chad like this person? “I couldn’t leave you here!”</p>
<p>“I’ve been here a year,” Chad snapped. “I told you that in my note!  Did you even bother to read it?”</p>
<p>Ben pulled himself close, burying his face in the curve of Chad’s neck. “<em>So many times</em>.”</p>
<p>“I hate you,” Chad muttered, hugging Ben tight in an effort to squeeze some sense into him, and for no other reason. “You’re the worst.”</p>
<p>“I brought Fairy Godmother’s wand,” Ben said, proving Chad’s statement true. “And Jane, to use Fairy Godmother’s wand.”</p>
<p>On second look, <em>there</em> Jane was, huddled behind the limo and looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there, but when she caught sight of Chad she smiled brilliantly, making him think the whole Cinder/Fairy God-person deal was a cycle that was just never going to end.</p>
<p>“Get her to make a bridge, you dolt.” This was it; they were actually going to do it, what the fuck. “Wait.  Get her to make a portal to Sardinia.  We’re going to get everyone there and let them claim asylum and then your dumbass dad can try to take them from my <em>cold dead hands</em>.”</p>
<p>“So sexy,” Ben muttered.  Chad was pretty sure he hadn’t meant to say that aloud. “I missed you.  You’re so vicious.”</p>
<p>“Excuse you?” Chad sputtered. “I am <em>charming</em>, thanks.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, no.” Ben grinned, pressing his cheek to Chad’s head like an obnoxious shit. “You’re the one who politely cursed out our scout leader because you wanted to learn <em>everything</em> and not just what the basic outlines requested.  And then you spent extra weeks training with the Huntsmen like the determined little psycho you are.  And then you tried for years to stop Jane and me and Doug from being friends with you because you were scared we’d get hurt by like, your reputation or something.”</p>
<p>“You knew that?” Ben was supposed to be dumb and charmingly happy but naïve.  What the fuck was this.</p>
<p>“Of course I knew that, you’re my favorite person,” Ben declared, just like that. “I am never leaving your side again.”</p>
<p>“Well, you’re going to have to learn to <em>share</em>, stupid.” Chad flushed, couldn’t believe they were having this conversation.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Mal told me about that.” Ben’s stupid grin was so wide. “Threatened to cut off my dick if I made you cry.  It was awesome.  I like her.”</p>
<p>“You would,” Chad muttered. “Auradon’s doomed.”</p>
<p>“Not with you guys,” Ben said, so stubbornly certain.  “Be my consort?”</p>
<p>“Fucking <em>shit</em>.” Chad had no words. “You can’t propose if we haven’t even dated!”</p>
<p>“Sure I can,” Ben chirped. “I’m a prince.”</p>
<p>Chad would not be wooed by his wagging eyebrows. “…I have to talk about it with the others.”</p>
<p>“Of course!” Ben said, but the look on his face pretty much took that as a <em>yes</em>, and Chad sort of wanted to punch him but also wanted to kiss him so that was fun.</p>
<p>“Hey, guys!” Mal cut in with a frown, giving Ben a notable stink eye. “If you don’t mind, we sort of have a situation here.”</p>
<p>“You get to work on the portal,” Chad ordered, needing to get away from Ben’s <em>Ben-ness</em>. “I’ll go make sure we don’t die.”</p>
<p>“Just like old times,” Ben chirped, and then he pressed a kiss to Chad’s mask like the obnoxious shit he was, ducking away before Chad could swipe at him.</p>
<p>That <em>fuck</em>.</p>
<p>“Less kisses,” Mal griped, glaring at Ben’s back. “More battles.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah,” Chad waved her off, getting himself back in the zone. “Let’s go save everyone from certain doom.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad and Jane didn’t go through the portal until the last of the kids got through, until his barrier runes seemed like they were about to break.  He switched the Isle barrier defenses back on at the last second and pulled Jane through the portal with him, the young fairy flicking the radiant portal out of existence with a twitch of her wand.  With her practiced genius, it seemed that Jane was able to deliver them straight into one of the old ballrooms in the Ellasburg Castle – the one his mother and father had first danced in that had been closed off shortly after her death. </p>
<p>There was something hilarious about seeing a limousine parked innocently on the ancient marble, something Chad was sure his mother would have gotten a kick out of. </p>
<p>It wasn’t something he could dwell on, however, because eventually their presence was going to be registered by security.</p>
<p>“Huddle up, everyone!” Chad ordered, strolling to the front of the crowd, Jane hot on his heels. “Security on the outside, everyone else in the middle!  On my mark, you’re going to set down the second set of barrier runes!  Jane.” He turned to the young fairy who already seemed so exhausted, sweat beaded on her brow. “Do you have enough energy to cast a concealment charm over them?  I need all of you to stay undetected until I get a chance to clear things up.”</p>
<p>Jane considered this for a moment, then nodded, her expression resolute. “I can do that.  I <em>will</em> do that.”</p>
<p>“Great.” Chad nodded, turning back to the rest of his people.</p>
<p>“What is this?” Dizzy asked, staring around the ballroom. “Are we in Auradon?”</p>
<p>“We’re in Sardinia,” Chad explained, knowing his cousin was familiar with the kingdom her mother came from. “Listen up, everyone!  We’re not out of the woods yet!  I’m going to go speak with our hosts.  I assure you I can get everything sorted out, but you’ll need to wait here and be patient.”  He looked around. “Is everyone in position?”</p>
<p>“I’m not letting you go alone,” Ben pressed, crossing to Chad in stupid, large strides.</p>
<p>“Evie’s coming with me,” Chad replied, though he knew that wasn’t what the other prince meant. “Ben, you technically just committed treason.  I’m going to go handle the situation before things can devolve into something truly unpleasant, but until then, you have to stay here.  Oh-” He motioned towards the limo. “And disable the tracking device, would you?”</p>
<p>“That’s it?” Mal asked as Evie came up and joined Chad. “You’re just taking Evie?  What if they attack you?”</p>
<p>“They won’t.” Chad hoped. “Now everyone, get in the barrier.”</p>
<p>“This is bullshit,” Uma muttered.</p>
<p>“We don’t have time for this, Captain.” Chad kept his tone low and sharp to prove he meant business. “Evie and I are the only ones they <em>can’t</em> kill on sight.  The rest of you would be fair game, <em>yes-</em>” He said before Ben could interrupt. “Even you.  Now back up.”</p>
<p>Reluctantly, they did so, Evie following him out of the ring of security.</p>
<p>“On my count, everyone!” Chad yelled, backing up towards the entrance to the ballroom. “Three, two, one – initiate!”</p>
<p>As one, the security team pressed their runes against the ground, creating a respectable bubble around the group.  With a furrow of her brow, Jane flicked her wand in elegant circles until the bubble and all its inhabitants seemed to disappear from existence, leaving the ballroom seeming as empty as before.</p>
<p>“<em>Wicked</em>,” Evie murmured.</p>
<p>“You think that’s something,” Chad muttered. “Wait till we finish throwing our revolution.”</p>
<p>With that, he tugged her deeper into the castle, towards his grandfather’s office. </p>
<p>They had a traitor to take care of.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>They used the secret passageways to travel undetected, and as fortune would have it, Chad’s grandfather was in his office holding some kind of emergency meeting with Chad’s father and a gentleman Chad came to recognize as a distant cousin, likely the new heir to inherit Sardinia’s crown.  Chad freed his head from all the clothing that had kept him hidden for the past year, running a hand through his curls and giving Evie a wink before he pushed into the office, stumbling to a crouch in front of his grandfather, who had been sitting behind his desk, holding court.</p>
<p>“<em>Grandfather</em>,” Chad gasped, clutching onto the old man’s wrist with both hands and swiping his lovely contact poison against the skin there. “Grandfather, it’s <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>“Chad?” His father was around the desk in no time, seeming to hesitate before he could reach out for Chad, his gaze shifting between his son and Evie. “<em>Chad</em>, what happened?”</p>
<p>“I was kidnapped!” Chad exclaimed, rising to his feet so that he was beside Evie once more. “Abandoned on the Isle of the Lost!  But Jane- she found me.  Like mom- dad, she found me and this-” He motioned to Evie, letting his eyes get wet with tears. “This is Princess Evelyn Hatzfeld of Hanover.  Queen Grimhilde had a daughter and she was trapped too!” From the corner of his eye, he could see his great cousin signal for security, but that hardly mattered, not when the sweat was already beginning to build on his grandfather’s forehead. “Dad, we need to file for a special concession – Jane had to use magic to free me and she shouldn’t be arrested for <em>that</em>.”</p>
<p>“We will, son.” It was the first time his dad had called him that in private for as long as Chad could remember, and were he not so devoted to his character of <em>scared survivor</em> he may have broken right then. “We’ll start on the paperwork right away, but tell me,” his dad swallowed. “Does Prince Benjamin’s disappearance have anything to do with this?”</p>
<p>“I sent a note with the VKs that were chosen to go to Auradon,” Chad explained. “They gave Ben my note and he immediately grabbed a limo to come rescue me.  He brought Jane too, she’s the one who teleported us here.”</p>
<p>“That’s good.” His father nodded distractedly, mind already moving. “We can call the king-”</p>
<p>“Ben will need a concession too, dad,” Chad interrupted. “He acted without knowledge of the crown.  We can’t let him get tried for treason for saving the heir to Sardinia.”</p>
<p>“No.” His father blinked. “Of course not.  I’ll get Ethel to request the proper paperwork immediately.”</p>
<p>‘We’re going to need declarations of refugee status as well, dad.” At his father’s confused look, Chad added. “…I may have brought some more Isle kids back with me.”</p>
<p>“<em>More</em>?” The random cousin sputtered. “You brought those ruffians here?”</p>
<p>“Those <em>ruffians</em> kept me alive for the past year,” Chad shot back. “And they’ve committed no crimes in Auradon!  Every day is a struggle to stay alive, a struggle for food and shelter – basic things we take for granted.” He turned to his father. “How could I possibly leave them behind?  They’re just <em>children.</em>”</p>
<p>“Chad’s right,” his father said with a certainty that surprised the prince. “The way of Sardinia is kindness.  I…” He smiled at Chad, a watery thing. “I forgot that, for a while, but you didn’t.  Your mother taught you well.”</p>
<p>She did, and they killed her for it, but Chad was certain that if she was anything like him, she had no regrets.</p>
<p>“Ethel.” Chad’s father talked into the secretary connection on his grandfather’s desk. “Could you please bring in a stack of declaration of refugee status forms and two special concession forms?  And wake the council for an emergency quorum.”</p>
<p>“Are you serious?” the cousin said.  He turned to Chad’s grandfather. “Are you just going to let-?”</p>
<p>It was at this point that the poison seemed to finally take effect, Chad’s grandfather clutching at his chest, his breath coming in rough gasps.</p>
<p>“Grandfather?” Chad asked, crouching next to him. “Grandfather, are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Ethel, call for a medic,” Chad’s father added, his gaze fixed to the former king.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong with him?” the cousin asked.</p>
<p>“Shock, maybe?” Chad tried.</p>
<p>“Was this too much for him?” Evie asked, perfectly believable in her concern.</p>
<p>“Dad?” Chad’s father said, clutching onto the former king’s shoulder. “Dad?  Just try to breathe, okay?  The medics are on their way.”</p>
<p>Not soon enough to do him any good, but enough to give Chad a believable timeline. </p>
<p>Quietly, Chad took Evie’s hand, squeezing it in an effort to convey the words he couldn’t share.  It was the beginning of a new life for them.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The Duke was dead.</p>
<p>The medics pronounced time of death seven minutes after Chad had administered his poison, and by the time they ran any tox screenings on him the poison would be completely filtered from his system. </p>
<p>Chad played his part as the perfect, distressed grandson – struggling to survive for a year, finally getting home only to have his grandfather <em>die</em> of shock.  He held his father as he shook with disbelief, pretending to try and swallow down tears because it was <em>his fault</em>, his doing – and somehow, for once his father snapped out of his grievance to actually comfort Chad the way he never had before, assuring him that Chad did nothing wrong, that it was his grandfather’s time, that he’d spoken of properly retiring for months now.</p>
<p>Ironic that the one time something was unquestionably Chad’s fault his father deigned to speak to him, but Chad had been neglected for so long that he soaked up the affection like a sponge, deciding to take what he could get. </p>
<p>Evie and Chad worked together to fill out the necessary paperwork for the emergency quorum and in the meantime, his father called upon the necessary psychologists to perform an evaluation on Chad to deem him fit to return to his status as <em>‘crown heir’</em>.  He went a step further and <em>also</em> called Queen Snow White, who promised to arrive as soon as possible with her news crew – formatting the story on the way over. </p>
<p>By the time they finished with the paperwork, the quorum was fully assembled, and by the time the paperwork had been expedited and approved by Sardinia legislature, his father got the ball rolling for the United Auradon approvals – though <em>that</em> council meeting would be a few days off, at the earliest.  Until then, Ben and Jane would be stuck under the protection of Sardinia, not that either of them would likely mind. </p>
<p>Sensing Chad’s anxiety, his father had the psychologists interview him immediately (and as fortune would have it, these were new counselors, not ones that were firmly under his grandfather’s employment), and despite his growing exhaustion, Chad delivered on all their expectations, admitting to certain hardships but weaving a story of determination and hope.  Of discovering friendship and building a team to survive together against the <em>wicked villains</em> of the Isle. </p>
<p>He was declared sound of mind and fit to lead, and his father brought him into the emergency quorum just before it wrapped up to declare him crown prince again.</p>
<p>Distant cousin wasn’t happy about the transaction, of course, and he was about to be a lot <em>less</em> happy going forward.</p>
<p>Chad made his first official decree as crown prince (again) to award the status of princess to his cousin, Elizabeth James.  He hoped she saw the official change in last name as an acceptable sacrifice for her new title, and was shocked to see his father tear up in happiness as he seconded the status allocation, gripping Chad’s shoulder with a distinct air of pride.</p>
<p>Chad should have killed his grandfather years ago, though he supposed if he had, he wouldn’t have gotten all of <em>this</em>. </p>
<p>The next set of tasks was tedious, but Chad and Evie managed it.  They’d already prepped the staff on how many they were to prepare accommodations for, and Chad had already reassigned the ones that were steadfastly loyal to his grandfather to other properties entirely (and informed security to escort them from the premises).  He did the same with the chefs to ensure none of his charges would be poisoned, with the security team to ensure none of them would be <em>stabbed</em>, and basically with every household member of the castle until it was running on a diminished crew of completely loyal servants. </p>
<p>The relocations had already caused several necessary promotions, and Chad had already given his go ahead for the new staff leads to hire the individuals they needed – though they were to ideally hire Isle-sympathizers.  He impressed the importance of this as much as he was able to, Evie sweeping in to offer smooth talk until they were working like a well-oiled machine.</p>
<p>It was beautiful. </p>
<p>It was also exhausting, but it was worth it to confirm that the children of the Isle would be <em>safe</em>.</p>
<p>The first rays of sunlight were peaking over the horizon when Chad and Evie finally made their way back to the ballroom, smiling through their weariness. </p>
<p>In an instant, Jane’s concealment charm was lifted and his army perked up, the barrier charms long finished.</p>
<p>Chad decided to hold court on the grand staircase, giving him some height above the crowd as he and Evie grinned down at them.</p>
<p>“Long story short-” He began after an appropriate pause for dramatics. “<em>Now</em> we are out of the woods.”</p>
<p>He was prepared for the thunderous applause that followed, cheers and hollers of pure joy.  Kids were hugging each other, smiles stretched wide.  Others were crying they were so happy, jumping up and down and pumping their fists in the air.  At the base of the staircase, Ben looked up at him with an expression of pride, Mal right beside him, a certain wetness to her eyes.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay!” Chad lifted up a hand to quiet the din. “Now I know you all have questions, and I’m going to do my best to answer them all.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I got a question,” Ginny Gothel called out. “Have you been hot this <em>whole time</em>?”</p>
<p>“That is a matter of opinion,” Chad answered expertly, getting a groan from the crowd. “Come on, guys, do I look nearly as intimidating now as I do in my full getup?”</p>
<p>“He makes a point,” Clay muttered, sharing a contemplative look with Jonas.</p>
<p>“Yes, I do,” Chad agreed. “Now, as some of you may have guessed by now, my actual name is not Volker.” There were literal <em>gasps</em> of surprise, the Isle kids staring at each other in confusion. “My real name is Chadwick James, I’m-”</p>
<p>“You’re Cinderella’s kid!” Bonnie hollered.  “Didn’t he die?”</p>
<p>“They <em>tried</em> to kill me,” Chad explained. “I got dumped on the Isle in a poorly-conceived assassination attempt.”</p>
<p>“We can all see how well that went,” Uma muttered, forcing an air of humor, though Chad could see the confusion behind her eyes.   </p>
<p>“Yeah, it wasn’t one of their better attempts,” Chad agreed. “But yes, I’m Queen Ella’s son – the crown prince of Sardinia.  Evie and I spent the last few hours working with my father – King Christopher – to claim all of you as Sardinian refugees under the Free Asylum Act.  That means that you are officially on your way to becoming citizens of Sardinia.”</p>
<p>“Sardinia?” Claudine Frollo echoed. “You mean, like part of Auradon?  We’d be citizens of Auradon?”</p>
<p>“You’d be citizens <em>under</em> Auradon, technically,” Chad explained. “Officially, you’d belong to Sardinia, which is united under Auradon.”</p>
<p>“But we wouldn’t be Isle kids,” Claudine pressed. “They’d have to treat us like all the other Auradon people.”</p>
<p>“Yes, they will.” This received another thunderous round of applause, teens smiling at each other because they couldn’t believe their good fortune. “As official refugees, if King Adam wants to try and take any of you back to the Isle, he will have to fight us for you.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Hermie asked, twisting her hair between her fingers nervously. “You’d protect us?”</p>
<p>“You’re refugees, Hermie.  It would be a gross violation of duty for us <em>not</em> to protect you and provide the basic necessities guaranteed to our other citizens.  To be clear-” He addressed the rest of the room. “All the benefits I offered when you first joined me still apply – you will have food, shelter, clothing, and protection.  You will be citizens of Sardinia, which means if someone wants to get to you, they’ll have to go through me.  Same as before.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Clay asked, swaggering forward. “Why are you doing this?  We’re not on the Isle anymore.  I mean-” He looked around. “You’re a <em>prince</em>.  You don’t need us.”</p>
<p>“That’s exactly why I need you,” Chad said calmly, getting an intense look from Evie. “I’m a prince.  As a prince, it is my duty to take care of my people to the best of my ability.  The moment you swore allegiance to me on the Isle, you became my people, and I have done my best to provide for you, and will continue to do so for as long as I can.”</p>
<p>“Fucking <em>shit</em>,” Rick Ratcliffe hissed. “He really is a prince.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he is,” Ginny giggled.</p>
<p>“Speaking of,” Chad said loudly, getting them back on track. “Dizzy – come up here.”</p>
<p>After offering a confused look, his cousin made her way up the stairs, standing beside Chad awkwardly.</p>
<p>“Congratulations,” Chad said. “You are being promoted to princess of Sardinia.”</p>
<p>“I get to be a princess?!” Dizzy cheered, jumping in place. “Really?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Chad said, unable and unwilling to stifle his fond smile. “Really.”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>wow</em>,” Dizzy gushed before offering the crowd a wobbly curtsey, earning a raucous cheer from them before she skipped her way down the staircase, throwing herself into Celia’s arms.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay!” Chad said over the roar of the crowd, trying to get them calmed down so they could continue. “Now there is some bad news.”</p>
<p>“<em>Knew it</em>,” Darla hissed, loud enough to be shushed by a nearby Arthur.</p>
<p>Chad ignored them. “Now that we’re in Auradon there is a new set of rules you are going to have to follow.  The bad news is that people are going to expect the worst from you because they were raised on the propaganda that Isle citizens are vicious, evil, spiteful beings – and while maybe part of that’s true-” This got him some laughs. “-this will cause them to be scared.  And unfortunately, scared people tend to do stupid things.”</p>
<p>“So what are we supposed to do?” Biggs asked.</p>
<p>It was a fair question. “You’re going to have to be better than their expectations.  On the Isle-” he said over the din of protest. “You had to fight and steal to survive.  Here, you don’t have to worry about that.” He stared down the crowd carefully. “For the time being, I want everyone to travel in pairs.  I don’t care who you are, have a partner.  I’m going to make sure each of you gets a camera, so if something bad <em>does</em> happen, you can record it.  For any cases tried against us, we’re going to need evidence – that’s how things work in Auradon.  You can only fight back if you get attacked first, but without some kind of record, the courts are likely going to sway in the favor of an Auradon citizen.  We’re going to try to counteract that.”</p>
<p>Harriet made a face. “That’s stupid.”</p>
<p>“That’s Auradon,” Chad countered. “On the bright side, if someone <em>does</em> try to attack you out here, we can charge them, and potentially get them sent to the Isle, which seems like fitting justice.”</p>
<p>There was a murmur of agreement.</p>
<p>“Over the next few days I’m going to be sending out some forms I want you guys to fill out.” Chad was already thinking ahead. “Now that you don’t have to focus on surviving, you can live, like you were always meant to do.  If you want to garden, you can still do that.  If you want to cook, you can learn to do it better.  Maybe there’s something you want to do that you haven’t even experienced yet.  You’ll all have the opportunity to learn, most of you have years before you have to figure out what you want to do with your life – and for those of you that are older, I’ll campaign to get you some buffer room too.  You also deserve the time to consider what you want to do for the rest of your life, and you’ll get it.”</p>
<p>“We did it,” Diego De Ville murmured, eyes wide with wonder.  “We really <em>did</em> it.”</p>
<p>“No,” Jonas chirped. “<em>Volker </em>did it!”</p>
<p>“Can we still call you that?” Hermie asked, her soft voice managing to carry over the crowd.</p>
<p>Chad couldn’t see why not.  “Of course.”</p>
<p>“Woo!” Gonzo cheered, jumping into the air. “Three cheers for Volker!  Hip, hip-”</p>
<p>“Hooray!” Everyone shouted, and as they continued, Chad tried not to grin in a manner that was horribly embarrassing, because <em>he’d</em> taught them that on accident, stupidly thinking that cheers were universal, like they’d have anything to celebrate on the Isle. </p>
<p>“Alright!” Chad waved them off with a laugh, riding the high of everyone’s celebration. “That’s pretty much all my announcements,” Chad moved on. “I’ll have the servants show you to your living quarters, and we’ll start taking you guys on tours of the facilities in small groups so you can get to know where you’ll be living for the foreseeable future.  Are there any more questions?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, me.” Mal held up a hand, commanding total silence. “Why didn’t you ever say you were a prince?”</p>
<p>“Survival was my first goal,” Chad answered honestly.  “Marking myself as an obvious outsider didn’t seem like a good way to do that.”</p>
<p>“Man has a point,” Clay grumbled. </p>
<p>Good guy, that Clay.</p>
<p>“If that is all, go and relax,” Chad ordered.  “Take a break.  We’ll have food later – good food.”</p>
<p>This earned him another round of cheers.  </p>
<p>“Alright, sweet pea,” Mal muttered, slinking her way up the staircase. “You’ve got some <em>explaining</em> to do.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Chad agreed, realizing this had sort of been inevitable.</p>
<p>With cautious steps, he led Ben, Jane, and his department heads towards his old bedroom. </p>
<p>It was time to face the music.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>By the time Chad led the others to his room he was exhausted, managing to keep one foot in front of the other through sheer will alone.</p>
<p>“Jane,” he said quietly, holding a hand up to keep the others from talking. “Could you do a magic search for bugs and cameras?”</p>
<p>If he had to go through the room and hunt down all the listening devices himself, he was going to cry. </p>
<p>“Yeah.” Jane nodded, readying her mom’s wand.  Apparently portaling a few hundred people over a giant distance had done wonders for her confidence in regards to magic. “<em>Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo</em>.”</p>
<p>In a flash of magic, all the devices that had remained in Chad’s bedroom appeared in a neat pile on his side table.  Feeling lazy, Chad swept them all into a trashcan and shoved that out into the hallway.  He could deal with it later. </p>
<p>“Okay,” Mal cut in when her patience could last no longer. “I realize we just recently got to the part of our relationship where you let us take care of you, but why the <em>fuck</em> didn’t you tell us you were a prince?”</p>
<p>“Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could get us off the Isle.” It hurt to admit, but if they were being truthful, it needed to be said. “Being known as a prince would only present you with a liability.  I could do more good as Volker.”</p>
<p>“I’m not saying tell <em>everyone</em>,” Mal snapped. “I meant us.”</p>
<p>“What’s the best way to keep a secret, Mal?” Chad asked, knowing her response would be immediate frustration. </p>
<p>She scowled at him, letting out an unintelligible growl before stalking away, towards Carlos. “You are such a <em>shit</em>, Volker,” she hissed. “You drive me so fucking crazy with your bullshit martyr complex.”</p>
<p>“I have a question,” Evie began carefully, interrupting before Chad could say something that would set Mal off again. “Your trauma-”</p>
<p>Ben perked up, but Chad couldn’t focus on him, not when he felt his expression close off. “That was real,” he said quietly. “My grandfather wanted to teach me a lesson.” He felt his hands curl into fists against his sides. “He did, I just don’t think it was the one he wanted.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Evie reached out, giving his shoulder a squeeze of apology. “I’m sorry, I just-”</p>
<p>“It’s okay.” Chad swallowed, didn’t want to hear anymore apologies. “I lied about a lot to you.  You’re allowed your investigation.”</p>
<p>“That <em>fuck</em>,” Harry growled, flexing against Gil’s hold. “I’ll hook ‘im through the damn <em>eye</em>.”</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, he’s already dead,” Chad murmured apologetically. “Weak heart, you know.  Couldn’t seem to bear the shock of my return.”</p>
<p>Slowly, he saw the implication register on their faces, some of them nodding in grim satisfaction.</p>
<p>“Wait?” Ben blinked. “You’re grandfather’s dead?”</p>
<p>“Heart attack,” Evie confirmed. “Happened last night.”</p>
<p>“Poor man,” Chad added.</p>
<p>“Right,” Jane – <em>Jane</em> growled, clutching her mother’s wand. “Poor man who tortured you for years.  I hope it fucking hurt.”</p>
<p>“<em>Jane</em>.” Chad’s shock was genuine.</p>
<p>“No,” Jane snapped. “How many times did he try to assassinate you?  I mean, he probably assassinated your mom, he-” She turned to Ben. “I was invited for a sleepover when I was like, <em>nine</em>, and then he told the entire kingdom I was some gold digging <em>abomination</em>.”</p>
<p>“You’re not, Jane.” Chad couldn’t bear the agony on her features, rushed to pull her into his arms as soon as he could. “You’re not that, you’d never be <em>that</em>.”</p>
<p>“And the worst part was that you stopped being friends with me after that,” she sobbed, shaking against his shoulder. “Because you didn’t want him to h-hurt me.  So instead he just hurt <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>“Alright, I’m glad this guy’s dead,” Uma murmured, wrapping herself around Jane’s back until she was sandwiched between them. “Fuck, I didn’t think people could be evil off the Isle too.”</p>
<p>“They can be evil anywhere, Uma,” Chad muttered, pressing kisses against Jane’s hair. “They’re just better at hiding it here.”</p>
<p>“Well, no more.” That came from Ben who joined their huddle, gluing himself to Chad’s back like he was afraid he would vanish. “That’s going to change going forward.  When I’m king-”</p>
<p>“If you can survive that long,” Chad muttered.</p>
<p>“-I’m going to fix this,” Ben pressed on. “<em>We’ll</em> fix it, together.”</p>
<p>“Think the guy being dead helps,” Uma drawled. “But yeah, we’ll work together to fix the world like big damn heroes.”</p>
<p>“You’re already a hero, captain,” Chad said, hugging them closer. “You took in a crew and protected it with a ferocity that couldn’t be matched.  And then, even though you hated me, you joined up with me and Mal because it was what was best for you crew.  If you think that doesn’t make you a hero, you’re wrong.”</p>
<p>“Ooh, I want to hear your speech about me!” Gil chirped. “I’m a hero too, right?”</p>
<p>“We’re <em>all</em> heroes,” Mal groaned.  At some point, she had cradled Carlos against her chest while Jay held both of them from behind. “<em>Fuck</em>.  So like, you do actually like us, right?  We weren’t just the best available?”</p>
<p>“What?” Chad blinked. “Of course I like you.  I like all of you.  And I know I’m not what you expected, not even close, but-”</p>
<p>“Spare me the dramatics.” Uma rolled her eyes. “You’re ours.  That’s settled.”</p>
<p>“Not settled.” Mal pouted. “Ben asked Volker to marry him.”</p>
<p>“Ye fuckin’ <em>shit</em>,” Harry growled.</p>
<p>“I might have gotten caught up in the heat of the moment,” Ben offered with that dumb smile of his. “Not the proposing part- that I always wanted to do, but like, the part where you were claimed by other people.” Ben buried his face in Chad’s curls. “I love you so damn much.  Can I join you guys?”</p>
<p>“And me?” Jane perked up, wiping at her tears carefully. “Please?”</p>
<p>“What?” Chad blinked, genuinely thrown by this development. “You… you guys want to- did you <em>see</em> what happened?  You don’t even know what I’ve been doing for the past year.  I’m not the same guy that left.”</p>
<p>“No,” Ben agreed. “You’re a survivor.  You survived.  And you’re just as bright and clever and deadly as you were before.”</p>
<p>“Resourceful,” Jane murmured. “Determined.”</p>
<p>“Jane…” Chad said, because she could do so much better than him. </p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” she pressed, squeezing him tighter. “I know I don’t have a lot to offer-”</p>
<p>“Fuck that bullshit,” Chad hissed.</p>
<p>Ben following after with, “Jane, you’re amazing.”</p>
<p>“Then let me in,” Jane urged, looking at the others. “I can be an asset to you-”</p>
<p>“Kiddo,” Uma drawled, halting Jane’s words with a hand against her cheek. “None of us here doubt your devotion to Kit here.  You or slim’s.  You want in, you can have it.”</p>
<p>“I can?” Jane echoed, the words making her tear up. “Chad?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Chad,” Ben pressed, doting his hair with kisses. “Please, bud?”</p>
<p>“Um…” It was strange, having this many people who <em>wanted</em> to be with Chad.  Weird.  But definitely nice. “So, everyone, this is Ben.  He’s tall and stupid but he has other redeeming qualities that I can’t think of right now.”</p>
<p>“You’re so mean.” Ben smiled as he said it, because he was probably kind of crazy. “I love it.  I missed you.”</p>
<p>“Oh right, he’s loyal,” Chad said, feeling a lightbulb go off inside his head. “And generous and <em>nice</em> to a detrimental extent.  We need to keep him to ensure he doesn’t die in the dumbest way possible.”</p>
<p>“Yes, please,” Ben hummed. “Promise I’ll be good.”</p>
<p>“You’re taking this well,” Chad noted.  Maybe Ben just hadn’t realized exactly how many romantic partners he was acquiring.</p>
<p>“You’re not dead.” Ben said this as though it were a wonder, grinning like a fool. “I can pretty much deal with anything if you’re not <em>dead</em>.”</p>
<p>Mal dragged Carlos and Jay into Chad’s line of sight. “Did you know he loved you before you got stranded on the Isle?”</p>
<p>“Of course he didn’t,” Ben replied before Chad got a chance to. “I could have told him and he still wouldn’t have known.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Uma mused. “That sounds right.”</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Chad tried to hiss, though it came out as more of a tired drawl. “Jane?”</p>
<p>“You were dead,” she whispered. “They said you were dead but they didn’t have a body.  I tried to trace you because I knew the one they buried wasn’t <em>you</em> but Doug and I couldn’t find you and I tried- I knew- I <em>hoped</em> you were still out there but I didn’t know where you <em>were-</em>”</p>
<p>“I’m here,” Chad assured, felt a certain heat of his own build behind his eyes. “I’m here, Jane.  I-” He cleared his throat, letting his cheek rest against the top of her head. “Everyone, this is Jane.  Her mother saved my mother, and she is my fairy god-person.” Jane giggled at the distinction, tears pouring down her cheeks. “She is, quite frankly, a better deal than Ben.”  Behind him, Ben gave a sound of mock protest but didn’t press the issue, because he knew Chad was right. “She’s kind and smart and generous and willing to commit treason to save us, which I think speaks to her level of commitment.”</p>
<p>“I <em>also</em> committed treason for you,” Ben pointed out.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you weren’t aware of it, you idiot, you were just reacting.  Jane knew but came anyway.” </p>
<p>“He has a point,” Evie said, forever sage.</p>
<p>Chad was sure they had gotten to know each other while he and Evie had been off battling paperwork, but just in case, he decided to introduce Jane to everyone.</p>
<p>“Jane, this is- that’s Carlos.” He pointed to the young De Ville.  “You’ll like him.  He’s a genius and he’s super clever and kind and I spend a lot of time wanting to hug him.  And that’s Harry.” He pointed to the first mate. “He and Jay look intimidating but they’re actually both really sweet – don’t let them tell you otherwise.  And that-” He continued over Jay and Harry’s protests. “Is Mal and Uma – who you can practice magic with and are also very fierce and frankly don’t need the rest of us to get by but they keep us around anyway and that’s cool. Oh-” He tilted his head back towards Ben. “We’re getting rid of the magic ban, by the way.  It’s stupid.”</p>
<p>“Agreed,” Ben laughed, but he only looked fond, so that probably had promise.</p>
<p>“And um-” Chad blinked around for the others. “That’s Princess Evie – she’s like, the perfect diplomatic, and poised and pretty but also super smart and she can make a beautiful dress out of like, three pieces of fabric that should not go together.  And um-” He lowered his voice. “That’s Gil.  He’s sunshine.” Chad frowned, couldn’t think of any other way to put it. “You should hug him frequently; he’s very good at it.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Jane murmured, nodding against his chest. “I can do that.”</p>
<p>“I know, because unlike <em>Ben</em> you’re good at taking suggestions,” Chad scoffed, Ben pressing a kiss against his shoulder for his efforts. </p>
<p>Belatedly, he realized he was swaying on his feet. “I think I’m gonna fall down.”</p>
<p>“<em>Rest</em>, you asshole,” Mal muttered, but she said it fondly, motioning them towards the bed. “Everyone, it’s sleep time.”</p>
<p>“I can take the first watch,” Jay said, grabbing a chair and angling it towards the door.</p>
<p>“I got the window,” Harry volunteered.  He paused by Chad’s huddle on the way and pulled him into a dirty kiss that left Chad reeling, grinning wickedly before he ducked away.</p>
<p>“No,” Uma said before anyone else crossed to them. “We’re not starting this until we know Volker’s got enough energy to finish it.”</p>
<p>“<em>Finish it</em>,” Chad giggled, mostly to see Jane’s cheeks heat up in a blush.  She was so pretty.</p>
<p>With a few grumbles, they all piled onto the bed, Chad ending up in the middle.  Mal more or less draped herself across Ben so she could be close to Chad, and Carlos took the spot next to Jane with Evie behind him.  Uma and Gil were on Mal’s other side, and for once Chad was grateful for his stupidly huge bed, because it could hold all his very favorite people.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna get you guys so many things,” Chad murmured, eyelids beginning to droop under the weight of his exhaustion. “Evie, I’m gonna get you a fashion studio, and Mal’s gonna get an art studio, and um- Uma can have whatever ship she wants, and Carlos can have an actual workshop<em>-</em>”</p>
<p>“We know, sugar cube,” Mal soothed, rubbing at his shoulder. “You don’t have to tell us now; we’ll still be here tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“…promise?” Chad asked, voice sounding terribly small.</p>
<p>“Just <em>try</em> to send us away,” Uma declared, Jane humming softly in agreement, and all at once Chad knew it was going to be okay.  Whatever battles came his way, he wasn’t going to be alone anymore.</p>
<p>Now, he had an army.</p>
<p>And they had him.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Did I tell you how I met this asshole?” Mal asked, staring at the ceiling.  It was just a few of them cuddled in bed now, Gil curled around Chad’s back with Jane tucked to his chest, Evie behind her.  Uma was holding onto Carlos on the loveseat while Mal held court over on one of the couches with her harem of Jay, Harry, and Ben. “Guy storms into my castle covered in blood – <em>after </em>he murdered like, all of my mom’s henchmen, has a <em>rational conversation</em> with my mother, and then slammed an axe into her throat.” Chad hadn’t exactly been able to go into detail about his stay on the Isle with Ben and Jane yet, but he supposed this was one way to introduce them to it.  “It was beautiful.  I knew I was done right there.  Knew I had to have his babies and I didn’t even <em>want</em> kids; I just knew he was mine.”</p>
<p>“I know the feeling,” Harry muttered while Chad struggled to come up with a response to that, because he genuinely hadn’t realized Mal liked him so early on. “Guy sets a building on fire, throws an axe between <em>Don Carnage’s eyes</em> and literally drags me out of there, killing anyone who got in our way one-handed.  Then he dumped me on Gilly and went <em>back</em> so he could kill the rest of the crew.”</p>
<p>“If that wasn’t some grand courting overture, I don’t know what was,” Uma drawled, chuckling into Carlos’ hair. “I was so mad.  Everyone knew Harry was mine but then this fuck shows up from outa nowhere and single-handedly takes out a rival crew <em>and</em> saves my first mate.  He did everything he needed to be an ally and then he wouldn’t even fucking <em>talk to me</em>.”</p>
<p>“…I was mad at you,” Chad admitted. “For banishing Gil all the time.  I understood why you did it, I just didn’t want to see you.”</p>
<p>“Thought you were playing hard to get,” Uma replied. “Helping Gil all the time.  Saying Harry didn’t look ‘half bad’.  I finally give in, get Harry all dolled up and send him to you on a silver platter and then you make him carry <em>sand</em> all day.”</p>
<p>Chad blinked. “…that was a sex thing?”</p>
<p>Mal cackled over Harry’s groan. “Of <em>course</em> it was a sex thing.  Only Uma didn’t realize that your ability to register flirtation is like- nonexistent.”</p>
<p>“It’s the <em>worst</em>,” Jay whined. “Finally get a meeting with big, bad Volker – try to work my charm but he’s like, immune to it.  <em>And</em> he cleared out the office of anything good to steal.”</p>
<p>“I told you it wouldn’t work,” Mal reminded him. “He’s the most practical human in the universe; you think he’s going to be wowed by your puppy eyes?  He’s not even wowed by <em>my</em> puppy eyes.  Or the princess’s!”</p>
<p>“…that’s part of the reason I was so mad at Harry,” Jay admitted with a shrug. “Figured he must be so good that Volker didn’t <em>need</em> to look for it anywhere else.”</p>
<p>“This dumb shit,” Uma sighed. “Harry gets ‘kidnapped’ by his sister – Volker saves him, pretty much pledges his devotion to Harry and just <em>leaves</em>.  Like, who the fuck is this guy?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t-” Chad flushed. “I didn’t pledge myself to him.”</p>
<p>“Volker.” Uma gave him an unimpressed look. “You said you didn’t like him and in the same sentence said that no matter what you’d always come for him.  That’s a declaration, stupid.”</p>
<p>“It was so romantic,” Evie mused, toying with Jane’s hair. “Everyone knew about the fierce huntsman who saved his true love <em>Harry</em>.”  </p>
<p>“That’s how I heard about you,” Carlos offered. “Before you killed Gaston.  Whole school was buzzing about Harry’s boyfriend <em>Volker</em> – and then you killed Gaston and Maleficent, and you sold all those bodies to the shops – so I thought – I was just really desperate.  I didn’t know what you’d want.”</p>
<p>“You to be safe, for the most part,” Chad answered honestly. “But wait- did- did all of you think Harry and I were dating?”</p>
<p>“Those were the rumors,” Mal sniffed. “But then you were so weird about touch and the pirates in general – it was dumb.”</p>
<p>“Gil knew,” Uma pointed out.</p>
<p>“Um…” Gil tensed behind Chad. “I um… didn’t tell you because- well, I knew you <em>weren’t</em> but also I um- wanted to be your boyfriend.  So.”</p>
<p>Mal laughed. “Join the club.”</p>
<p>“At least he would touch you,” Evie sniffed. “He <em>refused</em> to do that for me.”</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “You’re a princess-”</p>
<p>“You’re a <em>prince</em>,” she snapped. “That wasn’t even a valid excuse!”</p>
<p>“I was a prince that was declared dead,” Chad explained softly. “I had nothing.  Even if I got back into Auradon, I had nothing.”</p>
<p>“Well, you do <em>now</em>,” Evie said. “And you are going to be making your absence up to me.”</p>
<p>“And me,” Gil murmured. “Please.  I was um… really looking forward to my punishment until it was actually a punishment.”</p>
<p>“They are actual punishments for Jay and Harry too,” Chad pointed out.</p>
<p>“Is that an innuendo?” Ben asked, perking up. “Is ‘punishment’ like, code for sexy time?”</p>
<p>“I like this guy,” Mal decided, running a hand through his hair. “I’m hoping Harry will need to be punished soon because we could definitely use Ben for that.”</p>
<p>“<em>Or</em>,” Chad said. “We could just have sex.  That’s a thing people do.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Mal huffed. “But it’s more exciting as a punishment.”</p>
<p>“Remember when Jay got to give Gil his first blowjob while Harry watched? Uma drawled. “That was a good punishment.”</p>
<p>“What?” Evie blinked. “Why didn’t you tell us about this?”</p>
<p>“Because punishments are private,” Chad huffed. “And seriously, we could <em>just have sex</em>.”</p>
<p>“I thought I was gonna kill Jay,” Harry groaned. “It was torture having Volker hold me down all…” He shivered, both Jay and Ben straightening up in interest.</p>
<p>“You ready to go, Hook?” Uma asked, amusement clear in her tone.</p>
<p>“It’s your fault,” he snapped. “Everyone wanting to <em>practice</em> on me all the time.”</p>
<p>“Practice what?” Ben asked, relentless. “I like to practice.”</p>
<p>“Put your hand down his pants and you’ll find out,” Mal encouraged, and this was- it was good, very good.</p>
<p>It got even better when Ben actually <em>did</em> stick his hand down Harry’s pants, Uma catcalling him all the way – Mal not to be outdone and ‘practicing’ on Jay, who of course had no complaints. </p>
<p><em>This</em> was the insanity he’d signed up for the rest of his life. </p>
<p>But he was okay with that. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is it, guys!!!  Thank you so much for staying aboard for this ride!!  The outpouring of support and enthusiasm this fic has received has far exceeded my expectations, and I am truly grateful for all the support, enthusiasm, and love each and every one of you has shared.  It is a privilege to write for such an excited audience, and that is not something I take for granted.  So thank you!!  Your support has definitely inspired me to take on more ‘epic’ style fics like this one in the future!!</p>
<p>After this, I will be posting the deleted scenes (there are a lot this time around) and the first chapter of my next Chad-centric poly fic, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25994251/chapters/63198010">'The Bitch of Living</a>.  Check it out if you’re interested in more Descendants good times! </p>
<p>Story notes: </p>
<p>While I refuse to call a kingdom ‘Cinderellasburg’, I thought it was believable to rename the capital after the late queen – hence the Ellasburg Castle. </p>
<p>Ethel is entirely made up for this story and no, I did not make the effort to actually research a French name this time. </p>
<p>Will there be a sequel?  Even I do not know, but I laid the seeds for one in case inspiration ever struck, so there’s that ;D</p>
<p>Until next time :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Deleted Scenes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3 – Setting up the Lodge </strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>I originally had an entire sequence in mind where Chad made a proper base of the Lodge, going more in-depth with the greenhouses and traps, but I inevitably was distracted by more angsty plotlines and never finished the scene.  Below would have been Chad slowly educating the others on what they could have, one day.  It also features information found in the excess of google searches I made before writing this story.  I tried to stick with plants that could grow in the shadows and quickly abandoned it for medicinal herbs, deciding Chad’s dwarven runes would take care of the rest :)  </em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“This section will be clove,” Chad explained, seeding the ground with the extra herbs he had gathered from his own garden. “It’s an antiseptic – which means we can use it to disinfect wounds, it can also be used for pain relief and to reduce swelling.  Now this-” He motioned to the next patch. “Will be garlic, which is <em>also </em>an antiseptic.  Morinda is for headaches, wintergreen for pain relief, ginger is for digestive problems, plantains can be made into a poultice for wounds, and black elderberries boost the immune system.” He sat back and marveled at his work while LeFou put their hobbled together signs in the appropriate places. “That will get us started.”</p>
<p>Planting a medical garden at LeFou’s house was probably one of the better ideas Chad had, if only because of the near location of the chicken coups.  With chicken excrement acting as a constant source of fertilizer, they wouldn’t have to worry as much about the plants’ sustainability.  It was actually sort of genius. </p>
<p>“How do you know all this stuff?” Carlos – who had been lingering nearby working on his schematic for the egg incubator – asked.</p>
<p>Chad shrugged. “Books.”</p>
<p>Which wasn’t a lie, but the reason he had <em>committed</em> this information to memory was because of his mother’s own love of gardening.  It was one of the few chores thrust upon her by her stepfamily that she actually enjoyed.  Even after she was made queen, she still tended to her own private garden, and Chad was sure to educate himself in all the herbal remedies she had once sworn by.</p>
<p>“You find the best stuff,” Carlos murmured, not necessarily bitter, though likely frustrated.  Carlos had a constant thirst for knowledge that he wasn’t able to feed due to lack of available resources.  It made Chad want to offer him every bit of knowledge he knew, if only to spark some of that genius energy.    </p>
<p>Chad made a note to keep an eye out for suitable novels the next time he went ‘scavenging’.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 4 – More Recruit Tidbits – Riley </strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>So I had a scattering of extra scenes that related to Chad and Mal’s initial recruitment surge that covered them adapting to having to take care of children on a regular basis.  The scene below features Riley, an overeager recruit Chad and Mal have to enforce healthy limitations on.  While I liked the scene, I ended it cutting it for the sake of pacing, though I did find it cute to have Chad and Mal basically acting as parents while they were still figuring each other out.</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad made his usual headcount over the gaggle of children gathered in the dining hall and sighed when he came up one short.  Well-practiced with this routine by now, he set off for the deep recesses of Bargain Castle, finding his quarry passed out on the floor of the third room he checked.</p>
<p>With a sigh, he scooped Riley up and snagged her wash bucket and rag, carrying both of them back towards the dormitory.</p>
<p>Mal found him halfway there. “Again?”</p>
<p>“You’ve got to let her know she doesn’t have to clean the <em>entire</em> castle.”</p>
<p>“You think I haven’t tried?” Mal asked, exasperated. “I think she considers it a challenge.”</p>
<p>“I’ll talk to her.”</p>
<p>“<em>We’ll</em> talk to her,” Mal corrected, because she was just as protective of their underlings as Chad was.</p>
<p>As if on cue, Riley stirred awake in Chad’s arms, blinking at their surroundings. “Volker?” She realized her predicament and was immediately horrified. “<em>Volker</em>.”</p>
<p>With another sigh, Chad set her down on a nearby bench, he and Mal staring their wayward youth down like two disappointed parents.</p>
<p>“Riley,” Chad began, trying to keep his voice nonthreatening. “We’ve told you before that you only have to clean the common areas of the castle, not the entire thing.”</p>
<p>“But I finish those too quickly.” Riley tugged at her braid nervously. “I want to earn my keep, so I thought I’d clean the other stuff.”</p>
<p>“If we <em>need</em> you to clean the other stuff, we’ll ask you to,” Mal drawled, making Riley shrink in on herself.</p>
<p>Chad shot Mal an unappreciative look, then tried again. “Riley, as long as you follow the rules and do your assigned duties, you’re earning your keep.  There’s no need to work yourself into exhaustion.”</p>
<p>“But…” Riley frowned. “…what do I do when I run out of chores?”</p>
<p>“Then you have free time,” Chad settled on. “You know, time to do whatever you want in.”</p>
<p>Riley blinked at him in a look of incomprehension that he’d seen far too much these past few weeks.</p>
<p>Thankfully, Mal took over. “Then you can come help me paint,” she said. “Or you can go watch Volker’s weapon training.  Or you can go to the Lodge and see if Le- if Dr. <em>Proulx</em> needs help.  Or you can go to the library or- you know, whatever <em>you</em> want to do.”</p>
<p>“As long as you follow the rules,” Chad added. “And are safe.”</p>
<p>“Because we’re no good to you dead,” Riley dutifully echoed.</p>
<p>“Exactly.” If Chad had realized that was going to become his army’s slogan, he would have made a better one. “We’re giving you the rest of the day off, okay?  We don’t want to see you passed out in any far corners of the castle anymore.”</p>
<p>“No missing meals,” Mal added. “It doesn’t look good if our underlings are wasting away.”</p>
<p>“Got it?” Chad pressed.</p>
<p>Riley nodded. “Oh- okay.  Thanks, Volker!  Thanks, Mal!”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” Chad said, though Mal merely rolled her eyes.  She still didn’t like <em>manners</em>.</p>
<p>“Go get breakfast, kid,” Mal muttered, motioning her on. “Before it’s all gone.”</p>
<p>“Okay!” With that, Riley ran back down the hallway, her long braid swinging behind her.</p>
<p>“Kids,” Mal huffed. “They’re dumb.”</p>
<p>“They’re eager,” Chad corrected. “And loyal.  Both good qualities for us.”</p>
<p>“You are so practical it makes me sick sometimes.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Chad chirped, just to annoy her.</p>
<p>The scathing look he got for it was payment enough.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 4 – Garden Tidbit </strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>What follows is an entirely indulgent tidbit where Chad introduces the baby recruits to the gardens.  I ran out of inspiration to properly finish the scene, hence it’s exclusion, but I still think the concept is a pretty cute one. </em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“It’s green,” one of the younger girls – Darla, maybe – whispered, staring at the garden with reverence. “Look, it’s not <em>dead</em>.”</p>
<p>That was the goal, though Chad didn’t tell them as much, letting them have their moment.  For a lot of them, this was the first time they had seen something <em>flourish</em>, and to make it even better, it had been done by their own hand.</p>
<p>Chad hoped he could give them this and more, because it was such a small thing, and but the first of many.  At least, if he had something to say about it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 4 – Talking to Mal about Evie </strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>This was another scene that was sacrificed in the name of pacing.  It features Chad somewhat teasing Mal over her inherent attraction to Evie, and Mal denying it all the while because emotions are DUMB ;D </em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“You know,” Chad began conversationally, sharpening his axe. “One would think you’re attracted to Evie, considering how much you tease her.”</p>
<p>“Fucking-” Mal hissed, but her cheeks flushed a little red. “She’s <em>objectively</em> pretty.  Of course I find her attractive.”</p>
<p>“She might come to like you too,” Chad continued. “If you weren’t such an asshole to her all the time.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need her to like me,” Mal spat, defensive the same way any Isle kid got when referring to positive relationships. “If anything, she should be chasing after <em>me</em>.”</p>
<p>“Power’s great for alliances, Mal.” Chad finished his sharpening and tucked his whetstone away, sliding his axe back into his belt. “But relationships are purely recreational, and thus require different things to motivate them.”</p>
<p>“Sweet evil, were you raised by a dictionary?” Mal snapped. “Talking about all this <em>relationship</em> bullshit – we’re on the Isle.  We don’t have romance, we have fistfights.”</p>
<p>“We run a part of the Isle,” Chad began quietly. “Why can’t we decide the rules for that part?”</p>
<p>“Because they’re <em>stupid</em>.” Mal folded her arms across her chest, a sure sign that she was done with the conversation.</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “Just make sure this thing of yours doesn’t interfere with our business relationship.”</p>
<p>“It’s not a <em>thing!</em>” Mal stalked off with a glare, as though the speed of her power walk would hide the fact that it was, indeed, a thing.</p>
<p>Whatever, as long as she stopped poking fun at Evie, Chad didn’t care. </p>
<p>Much.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 4 – Daisy’s Recruitment</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>What follows is a series of scenes cut for the sake of pacing that rounded out some of Chad’s policies and the background characters.  While it was touching, and a bit disheartening, ultimately it pulled too much focus from the main story to be included.  Still, this is what establishes the character of Biggs, if you were wondering where he came from out of the blue in the later chapters.</em></p>
<p><em>WARNING for original character death</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad did a cursory look over the recruits as they made their way back into the base for a post-school snack.  He was really only there by chance to check in with Mal before he went back out into the forest to get cuts of his existing garden to take to LeFou’s, though he was glad for this, because he noticed a distinct difference he wouldn’t have otherwise.   </p>
<p>He paused. “There are more of you.”</p>
<p>Darla – the unofficial spokesperson of the recruits – stepped up. "We got three more that want to join,” she explained, a mixture of pride and excitement in her tone. “Only… Daisy don’t look so good.”</p>
<p>Daisy – the lone girl of the three strangers, seemed to be swaying on her feet, skin clammy but flushed, likely indicating some kind of sickness. </p>
<p>“Hermie!” Chad called, waiting for the recruit manager to pop out of the dining hall. “We’ve got two more recruits for you to initiate.  Everyone else, business as usual.”</p>
<p>“But what about Daisy?” Darla asked, frowning now. “If she agrees to the terms-”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about Daisy.” Chad was already picking the small girl up.  She weighed next to nothing and was shaking in his hold – possibly afflicted with a flu that had progressed into something nastier due to a lack of nutrients and exposure to the elements. “Hermie – let Mal know I’m going to the Lodge.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Volker,” the manager replied, offering him a quick salute as she motioned the other recruits into the dining hall.</p>
<p>Chad wasted no time after that, striding out through the front gate as fast as he could.  He almost missed the skinny teenager lingering in a nearby alley – a pirate, by the look of it – his expression twisting into one of concern at the sight of them.</p>
<p>“What are you going to do to her?” the pirate asked, keeping up with Chad’s brisk pace. “She agreed to your terms-”</p>
<p>“And part of those terms includes healthcare,” Chad shot back. “That’s why you sent your little sister to me in the first place, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>It was mostly supposition on Chad’s part, but the pirate didn’t deny it, getting a guilty look on his face. “I earn my keep with Harriet’s crew, but I’m not high up enough to get Daisy what she needs, and she’s too small to join.  I just thought-”</p>
<p>“It’s fine,” Chad decided. “She agreed to the terms so she’s ours now, and as her brother I’ll allow you the courtesy of visiting her.” It was fortunate that the Lodge wasn’t located too far away from Bargain Castle, he could already see it over the hill. “But that’s <em>it</em>.  Any funny business-”</p>
<p>“And my head’s on a spike,” the pirate finished with a solemn nod, fear clouding his eyes. “I know.”</p>
<p>Chad led them in through the front gate, motioning the pirate in behind him. “Dr. Proulx!” he called, deciding to use LeFou’s professional title. “It’s time for a crash course on how to treat the flu.”</p>
<p>The older gentleman flew out of his office, taking one look at the girl before motioning them towards the first designated treatment room. “When did she start showing symptoms?”</p>
<p>“About a week ago?” the pirate said. “I thought maybe with rest it would go away, but it’s just been getting worse.  Her breathing’s all weird.  She doesn’t want to eat, and when I can get her to eat she won’t keep anything down, and she’s all shaky.”</p>
<p>“She’s running a fever,” Chad deduced. “How are her coughs?  Are they dry or is she coughing up mucus?”</p>
<p>“The second one,” the pirate watched them transfer her to a bed with sad eyes. “It’s um- all green and brown.”</p>
<p>“Do you think it’s the flu?” LeFou asked, pouring water from the stone jug into a bowl and setting a washcloth to soak.</p>
<p>“More like pneumonia,” Chad said. “Her name’s Daisy, by the way.” He turned to the pirate. “And yours?”</p>
<p>“What?” the pirate had to pull his focus away from Daisy. “I’m Biggs.”</p>
<p>“You can stay with her while she’s being treated, Biggs.” Each room was equipped with a spare pallet for just such instances. “But you can’t watch us prepare the medications.”</p>
<p>“I don’t care what you do, just- help her, please.”</p>
<p>“We will,” Chad said, hoping they could.  Hoping it’d be enough. “We will.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p><em>A few weeks later</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad brought two of his new recruits down to the Lodge, running them through the rough outline of what they’d have to do for maintenance.  He was sort of surprised LeFou had kept up with it for this long, considering what he had to do.</p>
<p>“Be careful when you collect the eggs from the chickens,” he explained, handing each of them a basket. “They’ll peck you if they feel intimidated.  Now, when you’re done collecting all the eggs you’ll need to go into the shed – make sure it’s completely dark – and shine a flashlight under each of the eggs.  If you can see through them they’re likely infertile, which means we’ll eat them.  Those go in one basket.  If it’s harder to see through them, like they’re kind of cloudy, that means they’re fertile and they go in a different basket.”</p>
<p>“What are you gonna do with the fertile eggs?” Arthur asked, seeming to bounce with anticipation.</p>
<p>“Those will be put in the incubator where, ideally, they’ll become chickens.”</p>
<p>“<em>Really?</em>” The two recruits shared a wide-eyed look. “So we’ll get more eggs?”</p>
<p>“And more meat,” Chad said. “Depending on how this goes.  Now,” he motioned them onwards. “Get to work.”</p>
<p>He left them to it, making his way inside the back of the Lodge.</p>
<p>“Want me to make some sweet violet tea, Dr. Proulx?” Chad called, assuming LeFou was in with Daisy. “I brought a fresh batch from my other garden and…” He cut off when the makeshift doctor came into view, a sorrowful look on his face. “…doc?”</p>
<p>“Daisy, um… passed this morning,” LeFou explained, rubbing at his eyes. “Biggs is in there with her.  I couldn’t-” His lips twisted in a pained expression. “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t shocking – the loss of a life on the Isle.  It was a common, everyday occurrence, and yet Chad still found part of himself getting numb, like he was disconnected from his body. </p>
<p>“It’s okay, doc,” he forced himself to say. “We did everything we could.”</p>
<p>“I know.” LeFou shuddered. “Just…”</p>
<p>“Take the rest of the day off.” Better for Chad to give him the order now. “I’ll… take care of things.”</p>
<p>“…Okay.” LeFou left him with a nod, retreating back to the room upstairs he had claimed for his own.   </p>
<p>Chad wished it was like swimming through molasses – the walk to Daisy’s treatment room – but ultimately it was just as easy as anything else, one foot moving in front of the other in fluid coordination.  When he got to the door of the room he saw Biggs’ form hunched over his sister’s body, his face pressed into his hands as quiet sobs shook his frame. </p>
<p>Of course he loved her.  He’d loved her enough to send her to Volker the maniac so she’d have a chance to survive.  He’d loved her enough to let her go, and now she was dead.</p>
<p>Chad cleared his throat carefully, making his presence known.</p>
<p>Biggs blinked up from his mourning, lips twisting in sorrow. “She… she didn’t make it.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Biggs.” Chad settled down beside him, squeezing the pirate’s shoulder. “We did everything we could for her.”</p>
<p>Biggs sobbed. “You did, you know?” He wiped at his nose angrily. “I just- I don’t know what to do.”</p>
<p>“As her next of kin, you can decide what to do with her body,” Chad explained quietly, watching Biggs’ eyes get more and more red. “We can either drop her off the docks, let the ocean take her, or I can cremate her.”</p>
<p>“You’re… you’re not going to sell her?” Biggs asked cautiously, and it took Chad a moment to realize that was a legitimate concern.</p>
<p>“No, Biggs.” Chad managed to keep his voice level, though the very idea sickened him. “She was one of ours.  We take care of ours.”</p>
<p>“But she’s-” Biggs gasped. “She’s dead.  You say they’re no use to you dead and she’s <em>dead-</em>”</p>
<p>“We all die, Biggs.” Chad wished he could be more comforting, but he couldn’t.  Not with his reputation. “It’s the only guarantee we have.  Daisy was taken from us sooner than she should have been, but I’m not going to dishonor her memory by selling her body to the Slop Shop.” Or letting it break down for compost, even if it would be useful. “Even if she never got a chance to serve us.”</p>
<p>“I’ll… I’ll pay off her debt,” Bigg declared suddenly, seeming resolute. “Everything you did for her-”</p>
<p>“She agreed to the terms, Biggs,” Chad said. “Her debt was her own.”</p>
<p>“No.” Biggs shook his head. “No, I want to.  Harriet’s right, I’m no good as a pirate.  I just signed on with her for protection and-” He looked at Chad, <em>really</em> looked at him. “And I can get that from you, if I agree to your terms, and I do.  I do, if you’ll have me.”</p>
<p>Who was Chad to deny him this?  This one last thing.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Chad said.  “We can settle that later.” Maybe he’d make Biggs the manager for the Lodge, let him keep track of the helpers so LeFou wouldn’t have to. “For now, what would you like to do with Daisy?”</p>
<p>“Um…” Biggs blinked rapidly, trying to clear his gaze. “…what was that second thing?”</p>
<p>“Cremation?” Chad asked, watching Biggs nod. “I’ll burn her body down to ashes, and you can either scatter those, or keep them.”</p>
<p>“I…” Biggs swallowed. “I think I like that better than the sharks eating her.”</p>
<p>“That’s fair.” He gripped Biggs’ shoulder, pulling him away from his sister. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad sent Arthur back to Bargain Castle clutching an empty coffee can and a note to Mal with instructions to paint daisies all over it – <em>yes</em>, it was an emergency and no, Chad wasn’t joking.  He let Biggs go off with him to give the teen something to do before he took Daisy’s body to the Smithy.  He jerry-rigged a crematorium as best he could, enhancement runes blasting hot enough that he was dripping sweat by the time he was done.</p>
<p>He took the towels and sheets that had been used in Daisy’s treatment and washed them with steaming water and disinfectant until he could hang them up to dry, and by that point Arthur, Biggs, and Mal had returned to the Lodge.</p>
<p>“<em>Why</em> was this an emergency?” Mal asked, holding up the artfully redecorated coffee can – rusted outsides replaced with whimsical daisy patterns on a light blue background.</p>
<p>“We lost a recruit today,” Chad explained simply, taking the can from her. “I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>He gathered Daisy’s remains into the can as best he could, coming back out into the muggy sunshine of the Isle to press the can in Biggs’ hands.</p>
<p>“This- this is her?” he asked, sniffling.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chad sighed. “Come on, let’s get your sorted.”</p>
<p>Mal watched with an obvious air of discomfort while Biggs cried, clutching onto the canister.  Chad would have sent her into the backyard with Arthur to get her out of the way if she hadn’t seemed so stubborn, glaring at Chad whenever he dared approach her.</p>
<p>“You’ll work here,” Chad explained. “Managing the house.  Keeping it clean for Dr. Proulx.  You’ll have two recruits working under you to help manage things.”</p>
<p>“Can…” Biggs swallowed. “Could I help him with treatment stuff?” he asked. “I don’t… I don’t want to see another kid die.”</p>
<p>“You can be his apprentice, then,” Chad decided.  He’d tell LeFou the news later; they had enough to worry about.  Mostly dinner, and the next round of collections that needed to be made.  It was always something.</p>
<p>“And you do know the cost of taking this knowledge anywhere else, right?” Mal added, being properly looming when Chad just- couldn’t.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know.” Biggs nodded. “You don’t have to worry about me, okay?  I’m loyal.”</p>
<p>“We’ll see,” Mal hummed, and with that, they left him.</p>
<p>On to the next thing.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 7 – Training Clay’s Crew</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>This task was ultimately taken over offscreen, so to speak, by Helvig.  I enjoyed writing it, but it went against Chad’s base value of delegating tasks, so ultimately it got cut.</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>With the addition of Clay and his gang, Chad created an additional combat class specifically focused on enforcing his and Mal’s law over the Isle.</p>
<p>“I’m starting you off with quarter staffs,” he explained, making sure each of the dozen or so teens Clay had accidentally recruited was sufficiently outfitted. “Now you might be asking yourself, why quarter staffs?  The weapon of choice on the Isle is a sword.  Which is a fair question with a simple answer” He motioned to Jay, who perked out of the disinterested slouch he had against the courtyard wall to finger the hilt of his scimitar. “Come out me, Jay.”</p>
<p>“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Jay murmured with a cocky shake of his head, which was made all the more depressing when Chad swiftly disarmed him in two easy movements.</p>
<p>“Quarter staves give you a better reach,” Chad explained while Jay scrambled to pick up his sword. “You can disarm them before they even get close to you.  And then, when you’ve got them on the ground-” For the sake of demonstrating, Chad nudged Jay’s ankle with just the right amount of force to send him to his knees, though not enough to jar him. “-you use your knife to slit their throat.  Or stab it into their eye.  It’s your choice.  A knife is faster to draw than a sword anyway – which is another thing we’ll be practicing.”</p>
<p>“…we’re gonna practice drawing knives?” One of the unnamed guys asked. </p>
<p>“Quickly,” Chad said.  “We’re going to practice drawing knives <em>quickly</em>, because that can be the difference between life and death.  We’re going to practice basic quarter staff forms, disarming tactics, knife throwing and close quarters combat, and, of course, the quick draw.”</p>
<p>He made a slow circle around his new recruits just for dramatic effect, and sort of reveled in the way a few of them swallowed in concern.  Another few seemed excited though, not bloodthirsty, more like they were eager to get the proper means to defend themselves, and Chad hoped then and there that this wouldn’t come to bite him later.</p>
<p>“After you master all <em>that</em>, we might move on to swords,” Chad allowed when he drew back to the front again. “Until then, let’s get started on basic forms, shall we?”</p>
<p>“Sir, yes sir,” Clay drawled, but he still held his staff at the ready, mimicking Chad’s pose while the rest of his posse scrambled to copy the stance, a fresh wave of determination in their eyes.</p>
<p>It was a promising start.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 9 – Jay Gets More Rewards</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>Initially, the scene were Chad accidentally poisons himself was going to be the start of this story’s sexual adventures, leading Chad to start things off with Jay before branching off with the others.  That plan didn’t pan out beyond a few scenes, but below is the follow up where Jay asks for a reward and Chad, feeling kind, gives it to him.</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Jay gave his report last, falling into the succinct formula Chad had finally been able to establish amongst his patrol leaders, passing along important information in the shortest amount of time.</p>
<p>“Um.” He didn’t leave after he was finished, fingers toying restlessly with his belt loops. “So uh- did I do good?”</p>
<p>Chad considered this, <em>really</em> considered it – because while Jay had done well, he wasn’t sure if he’d done enough to warrant Chad’s involvement, but…</p>
<p>It had been a rough few weeks, and Jay was more than earning his keep, despite being a flirtatious sack of shit.</p>
<p>Chad nodded. “You did well,” he settled on. “Take a walk with me?”</p>
<p>It wasn’t really a question. </p>
<p>Jay was eager to follow him, obviously trying to maintain some sort of façade of collection despite the fact that it didn’t work, the thief too excited to manage his usual level of detached cool.  For lack of better options, Chad took him back to the attic, making sure to lock the trapdoor behind them as he ushered Jay into its depths. </p>
<p>“Um.” Jay seemed to hesitate when they walked near the window seat. “Do you want to- like last time?”</p>
<p>“I was actually thinking you deserved something different,” Chad hummed, as though the pieces hadn’t fallen together the moment Jay had hesitated after his report.  He urged the thief deeper into the recesses of the attic, until the only light provided emanated from the lantern he’d nicked from the attic’s entrance.  Jay’s steps seemed sure as he followed behind him, though Chad could sense unease emanating from the other teen.</p>
<p>“Here,” he said, passing Jay the lantern. “Let me set things up.”</p>
<p>It was fortunate that Chad’s paranoia and curiosity had him thoroughly inspect the attic and its contents.  This was what helped him locate a familiar musty pallet, unfurling it in front of a mostly intact full-length mirror – a luxury he had decided to keep secret, if only to prevent the problems that could arise.  He’d gotten used to not looking at his reflection every day, both because of unavailability and the fact that he was mostly covered.  He didn’t necessarily like the person that stared back at him in the safety of the mirror, but he understood it was a product of circumstance, and that was nothing to be ashamed of.</p>
<p>“Okay.” He settled down on the pallet and spread his legs wide, motioning between them. “Sit down.”</p>
<p>“Um.” Jay set the lantern down. “Facing you-?”</p>
<p>“Facing the mirror.” Chad didn’t roll his eyes because Jay wasn’t a mind reader. “Come on.”</p>
<p>Slowly, Jay followed his instructions, sitting down until his back rested against Chad’s chest.  Without asking, Chad removed Jay’s beanie and set it to the side, hooking his chin over the other teen’s shoulder to stare at him in the mirror.</p>
<p>“Hello, precious.” The reaction was instantaneous, a full body shudder raking through Jay’s body. “You did well today,” Chad continued, curling a possessive hand against Jay’s hips, letting his voice <em>purr </em>into Jay’s shoulder. “Do you know what I see?”</p>
<p>“N-No.” Jay was shaking in his hold ever so minutely, breath catching in his throat when Chad reached down and urged his legs wider, letting his hand rest on Jay’s inner thighs.</p>
<p>“My pretty boy,” Chad soothed, shifting his hand so it grazed over Jay’s pelvis, hooking his fingers under the hem of that tattered shirt so he could stroke that firm abdomen. “Working so hard.  <em>Fighting</em> so hard.” He let the implications ring where they lay. “So stubborn.” He tucked his lips against Jay’s neck; felt his pulse begin to race through the fabric of his mask. “Would you like to touch yourself, precious?”</p>
<p>“Um-” Jay shifted uneasily. “But um- you’re not getting anything out of-”</p>
<p>“This isn’t about me,” Chad interrupted smoothly. “This is about you.  Working so hard.  Don’t you want me to see you?  Don’t you want to see what <em>I</em> see?”</p>
<p>“I-” Jay didn’t seem sure, but he cupped a hand between his legs anyway, a small whine pulled from his throat when he ground against his palm.</p>
<p>“Don’t close your eyes,” Chad ordered, making Jay’s blush darken, the thief’s lips falling open with small pants. “I want you to watch yourself.  See how pretty you are.  <em>Fuck</em>, you’re so feisty when you’re fighting and slipping through the night.  And then you get here and you’re <em>gorgeous</em>, falling apart for me.”</p>
<p>“V-Volker.” Maybe it was an objection, Jay shaking his head, even as his hand kept going.</p>
<p>“You’re so wet for it,” Chad continued. “Wet for me.  Driving everyone else crazy from it.”</p>
<p>“I, I don’t-”</p>
<p>“No,” Chad agreed. “You have more restraint than that.  But a guy can dream.”</p>
<p>This made a hard shudder go through Jay’s back, his head falling to rest on Chad’s shoulder, even as he kept his eyes fixed to the mirror.</p>
<p>“Come,” Chad urged, squeezing his hips. “Show me how wet you are-”</p>
<p>“<em>I-</em>” Jay flushed. “But the mirror-”</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Chad soothed. “You should see yourself in action.  See how pretty you are.”</p>
<p>Words were abandoned for an embarrassed sound of refusal, but still, Jay opened his pants, pulling himself from the confines of his clothing with shaky fingers.</p>
<p>“There you go,” Chad murmured. “Just like that.  You’re doing great.  You’re doing such a great job, precious.”</p>
<p>“Volker,” Jay moaned. “Volker, I um-”</p>
<p>“So soon?” Chad asked, watching the way Jay flushed miserably, but his hand kept going, didn’t dare stop. “So eager for me.  It’s okay.  Do what feels good, alright?  I want you to feel good.  I like it when you feel good.”</p>
<p>Jay moaned, pressing his face into Chad’s neck, seeming unable to help it.  It was weird to see him so vulnerable, but Chad – the part of him from Auradon – felt humbled by the experience, that Jay trusted him this much.  Or maybe Jay expected Chad to use it against him and looked forward to that too.  They’d have words over it, regardless. </p>
<p>“Volker,” Jay crooned, eyes going wide when Chad replaced his hand with his own, covering Jay with a familiar handkerchief since the end was near. “<em>Oh</em>, I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>He didn’t finish the sentence before he fell over the edge, hips rutting eagerly into Chad’s palm. </p>
<p>Chad guided him through his release as best he could, pressing cloth-covered kisses against his hair and massaging his stomach, working with Jay until he was finally spent.</p>
<p>“There you go, Jay,” he soothed, cleaning the thief carefully before tucking him back into his clothes. “You did a good job, precious.  <em>Such</em> a good job.  I’m proud of you.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay murmured, falling back against him, boneless. “<em>Shit</em>, man.”</p>
<p>“Did you like your reward?” Chad asked, shifting him so that they could both rest on the pallet, Jay cuddled in his arms.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yes I-” Jay was flushing, likely not expecting the prolonged contact but obviously reveling in it. “Um, it was good.”</p>
<p>“Excellent,” Chad said, carding his fingers through tangled hair. “You deserve good.”</p>
<p>It got him one last shudder, Jay whining into his chest.  Chad was kind enough to say nothing, merely reaching for a blanket he had stashed nearby before tugging it over them, letting Jay fall into unconsciousness.</p>
<p>It was one of his better rests on the Isle.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 9 – Mal Wants Rewards</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>So before Mal was comfortable enough to demand cuddles on her own, I had her realizing the discrepancy in Chad’s behavior towards Jay versus his behavior towards her and, in true Mal fashion, had her demand this problem be rectified.  It ultimately ended in cuddles, which was what led to this scene being re-written and included earlier in the story to allow Chad and Mal more time to bond. </em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Whatever you do with Jay,” Mal began with her typical air of feigned confidence – not that Chad doubted her bold attitude, only her end goal, since she wasn’t exactly sure what she was asking for. “I want it too.”</p>
<p>“You have no idea what that is,” Chad pointed out, stepping deeper into her room.  He’d never been there before, but in hindsight the art-covered walls were classic Mal, floor to ceiling mosaics and all the purple draperies you could want a signature to her style. “But you did well today, so I’m willing to give it to you.”</p>
<p>“I do well every day, <em>thanks</em>,” she sniffed, but made no sign of moving.  Again, because she didn’t know what Chad and Jay <em>did</em>. </p>
<p>Chad sighed, then moved to lock the door behind him. “For the record, this stays between us.”</p>
<p>“Obviously,” Mal scoffed, because weird blackmail stuff would hurt her reputation as much as it hurt his. “So, what do you do?”</p>
<p>“We cuddle,” Chad replied simply, waiting for her response.</p>
<p>The blank expression did not fail to please him. “What?”</p>
<p>“Cuddle,” Chad repeated.  “I usually hold him in bed and tell him what a good job he did.”</p>
<p>Mal just… stood there.  He kept waiting for her to say something like <em>‘That’s it?’</em>, but instead her cheeks got all flushed.  Seemed like the two had similar tastes after all. “Okay, how do we do that?”</p>
<p>“You’ve got two options,” Chad said.  “Either we’re both on our sides with me tucked against your back, or I’m on my back and you use me as your pillow.  Either works for me.”</p>
<p>Mal considered this. “I want the second one.”</p>
<p>“That’s fine,” Chad said. “If you don’t like it, we can always switch.”</p>
<p>Her eyebrow twitched, mostly because she wasn’t used to people being considerate.</p>
<p>Chad sighed again. “This is a reward, Mal.  It wouldn’t be a good one if you didn’t like it.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Mal huffed. “I knew that.”</p>
<p>Without further ado, Chad slipped off his boots, setting them down beside Mal’s bed before sliding onto the creaky mattress.  It was old, but obviously of better quality than most of the other beds Chad’d seen, further supporting Mal’s position as a feared queen of evil.</p>
<p>Mal was slower climbing into bed, obviously unused to sharing, but she got into the idea of it easy enough.  He guided her into resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping his arms around her back until she finally relaxed into him, their breaths matched in quiet synchronicity.</p>
<p>“…this is good,” Mal said finally, tilting her head so she could hear Chad’s heart better.</p>
<p>“Good.” Chad started rubbing small circles on her back. “You deserve it, Bruiser.  You were furious and brave today, daring to behold.” Chad chuckled. “I pity anyone who has to fight you, my sweet.”</p>
<p>She shivered, but he didn’t call her on it. “…say I’m pretty.”</p>
<p>“It goes without saying, Bruiser,” he murmured into her hair. “But you are pretty, exotic and beguiling.  And your eyes-” He could feel her smirk. “One day, magic will flow through them, and I can’t wait to see their radiance.”</p>
<p>“Do you really think so?” Mal asked, voice uncharacteristically quiet.  <em>Did you really think I’ll get off the Isle</em>, she didn’t ask, because that was the only place magic ran free.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Mal, I do,” Chad said. “I’ll make it happen, one way or another.”</p>
<p>“Lots of people say that, but you know…” Mal paused. “From you, I believe it.”</p>
<p>Which was more than enough for Chad.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 9 – Harry Noticing Chad’s Lack of Arousal</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>This was a tidbit cut for the sake of pacing where Harry realized Chad doesn’t seem to revel much in carnal relations.  It makes him feel bad, and as such, Chad tries a different approach on him.  It’s a short tidbit, but still somewhat sweet :)</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“…Ye don’t get much out of this, do you?” Harry asked out of the blue one day, when they were in the awkward transition between normal aggression and punishment aggression, Harry consciously avoiding his gaze.</p>
<p>Chad finished locking up the lounge behind them before considering this question with the due diligence it deserved. “What makes you say that?”</p>
<p>Harry shrugged. “You’re not interested,” he explained, motioning to Chad’s groin. “Ye don’t ever seem… affected.”</p>
<p>“I have outstanding restraint.” As a necessity, and Chad exercised it on the regular, if only because years of surviving under his grandfather had taught him the value of absolute control.</p>
<p>Harry made a noncommittal sound.</p>
<p><em>Interesting</em>.</p>
<p>“Harry,” Chad began quietly, slowly closing the distance between them. “If you think it doesn’t take my utmost control to keep from ravishing you completely, you are wrong.” He let his hands settle on the first mate’s hips, dragging them close together. “You are exquisite,” he said as he tilted their heads together. “These sessions aren’t about me, they’re about <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>“But what if I want you?” Harry asked, ever one to challenge the status quo.</p>
<p>“Then you’ll have to settle for less, darlin’,” Chad drawled, watching the way Harry’s cheeks lit in a furious blush. “When it comes to these types of things, I have my priorities in order.  Does that satisfy your curiosity?”</p>
<p>He watched Harry’s throat bob in a swallow. “Y-Yes.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Chad leaned forward, pressing a mask-covered kiss against Harry’s lips, reveling in the way the first mate seemed to gasp against him. “How about a little less <em>disciplining</em> today and a little more pampering?  Does that sound good to you?”</p>
<p>“Um.” Harry flushed. “Show me?”</p>
<p>“Gladly,” Chad said.  And that was that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Anthony’s betrayal</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>This doesn’t really have a timestamp as Anthony was ultimately cut from the main story.  Not that I dislike him, he was just one too many characters for me to juggle.  In the interest of actually getting the story finished, I cut him from the final product, but in the original draft I had him making an assassination attempt against Chad, which led to the following scene. </em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Mother <em>fucker</em>,” Chad snarled, storming into the Merchants’ Guild meeting with Carlos hot on his heels. “Did you try to poison me with my own <em>poison</em>?” He leveled a finger at Rick Ratcliffe who froze, eyes blinking wide with confusion, obviously scrambling for a reply.</p>
<p>Chad spared him the effort.</p>
<p>“-Is what I <em>would</em> say,” he continued before redirecting his attention to Anthony – who had strategically placed himself near the small side door. “-if I didn’t know our dear Anthony was trying to frame you.” Chad let his hand fall to the handle of his axe, consciously aware of the critical stares of what was considered the Isle’s new economic masters. “Two birds with one stone, right?  Mal takes over – a <em>proper</em> villain – while you stealthily take control of Rick’s market operations.  Very clever.  It might have worked if you hadn’t made your hate so obvious.” And if Chad wasn’t immune to the poisons he used.</p>
<p>“…so what then?” Anthony asked, clearly realizing there was no way out of this, all the color draining from his face. “You going to kill me?”</p>
<p>“I should,” Chad said, just to ease some of the tension in his shoulders. “It would look bad if I didn’t, but…” But Anthony was technically his cousin and his mother had spent years campaigning for the removal of her stepfamily from the Isle, only to be shut down by Chad’s grandfather at every turn. “That would let you off easy, wouldn’t it?  Rick.” Chad redirected his focus. “Congratulations, you now have control of all of Anthony’s shares of the market.  Carlos.” He made a quick gesture with his hand and Carlos was by his side in an instant. “Anthony’s now your assistant.  Cruella taught you everything you needed to know to run a house, right?” In the most insane and painful way possible. “You can pass that knowledge on to Anthony.  Make him the facilities manager of Hell Hall.  Come to think of it.” He made a show of considering this, narrowing his eyes. “Anthony, you can be Mal’s assistant too, since you like her so much.”</p>
<p>Let him clean the common areas of Bargain Castle, keep him working so hard he won’t even be able to <em>think</em> of revolution.  Sort of sweet irony, in a way.  Chad making his cousin clean things.  </p>
<p>By the time he was finished, Anthony’s hands were shaking, his hands in tight fists and glare frustrated but the stupid fool was alive, though now powerless.</p>
<p>“Listen clearly, because I will only say this once,” Chad murmured, letting his voice fall into a threatening <em>growl</em>. “I have no quarrel with the people doomed to this wretched island by the mistakes of others, but I will not tolerate <em>treachery</em>.  There are far worse things than dying, Anthony, and this is but a taste of it.  From now on, you are the lowest of low, the bottom of every scheme, and while one day you may be able to work your way back up through the ranks, it will not be <em>soon</em>.” He turned his attention to the others. “And so it shall be for any who consider treason, unless I just feel like killing them first.”</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “It <em>is</em> far less effort, after all.” He stroked the top of his axe. “Everyone understand?” They nodded, though he didn’t move on until Anthony nodded as well. “Excellent.  Carlos, get him out of my sight.” The young De Ville nodded, grabbing onto Anthony’s elbow before dragging him out of the room, the taller teen following reluctantly behind him.</p>
<p>Chad knew before the day was out that word of Anthony’s sentencing would pass to the rest of his forces, and that they would be respected without question.</p>
<p>“I apologize for the interruption,” Chad said, keeping his voice calm and smooth.  He held Jay’s gaze for a moment longer than the others, secretly proud of the other teen’s restraint, before moving back towards the door. “As you were.”</p>
<p>With that, Chad went to find Evie.  They needed better controls over their gardens to prevent something like this from happening again.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Jay’s Response to Anthony’s Sentencing</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>As you can imagine, Jay was quite effected by badass Volker ordering Anthony around, and in the scene below he requests a reward to deal with the hot blood Chad stirred up on accident</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>, you were so sexy in there,” Jay whined, falling to his knees when he found Chad in the attic later. “Could I suck you off, please?”</p>
<p>“Is that what you want?” Chad had to force his tone to remain neutral, because that was not an offering he’d expected. “I could touch you instead.  This is, after all, your reward.”</p>
<p>“You would-” Jay flushed. “You’d do that?”</p>
<p>“Sure,” Chad replied, feeling some of the tension ease from his shoulders. “We could even go back in front of the mirror.”</p>
<p><em>That</em> had a beautiful flush dusting Jay’s cheeks, had him shifting uneasily as he looked anywhere but Chad.</p>
<p>“Do you like that?” Chad asked. “Or does it embarrass you?  How lovely you are.”</p>
<p>“Is this what you guys do up here?”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t jolt at the sound of Carlos’ intrusion though Jay did, the tall thief scrambling to his feet as though it would will his blush away.  He must have forgotten to lock the door behind him, which was something Chad would punish him for later, after this was taken care of.</p>
<p>Chad held up a hand. “Lock the door behind you.”</p>
<p>Carlos paused, considered the order before doing it, Jay shifting uneasily on his feet all the while.</p>
<p>“This is a safe space,” Chad explained once Carlos had made his way over to them. “What happens in <em>here</em> has no reflection out <em>there</em>, do you understand that?”</p>
<p>He could practically feel Jay’s tension.</p>
<p>Eventually, Carlos nodded. “Okay, that’s fair.”</p>
<p>“Great.” Chad shifted to his feet, beckoning Jay to follow him. “This way.”</p>
<p>“But-” Jay cut off his protest as he dutifully followed, likely eager for his fix. “Carlos-”</p>
<p>“If you wanted this to remain private, you should have locked the door,” Chad said evenly.  Yes, that was a fair enough punishment. “Carlos did well today too.  Perhaps he deserves a treat.”</p>
<p>“Do I get to watch?” Carlos asked, always the fastest at connecting the dots.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Chad said, watching the way Jay’s blush spread down his neck. “Come on.”</p>
<p>They settled into position the same way they had before, Jay nestled between Chad’s legs as they faced the mirror.  This time, Carlos settled on a crate next to them, watching the proceedings with open interest.</p>
<p>“You showed tremendous restraint today, precious,” Chad murmured into Jay’s ear, navigating a hand between his legs so he could cup the already-present interest there. “I kept expecting you to take out Anthony yourself, but you behaved instead, don’t think I missed that.” He ground down hard and coaxed a whimper from Jay’s throat, saw the way Carlos tensed in his peripherals. “You do look so lovely fighting, but that was brilliant too, watching you simmer with anger, holding onto your rage- you are capable of so much, precious.” Slowly, ever so slowly, he undid Jay’s pants, fondling the warmth inside before he pulled him completely out of his clothes. “I can’t wait for you to see it.  See that you’re just as deadly standing still as you are in a fight.”</p>
<p>He started pumping Jay carefully, conscious of Carlos’ gaze on the efforts. “So pretty, precious, love the way you get worked up for me.” At that, Jay moaned, his head falling back against Chad’s shoulders as his hips thrust into his firm hand. “You like being watched, don’t you?” He angled his lips closer to Jay’s ear. “Do you like it when Carlos watches you too?”</p>
<p>Jay shuddered. “Y-Yes,” he whispered.</p>
<p>“Carlos,” Chad called out, the first time he’d addressed the teen since he started with Jay. “Do you think Jay looks pretty?”</p>
<p>Carlos blinked out of his reverie, clearly caught off guard by the question. “Y-Yes.  Yes, I do.”</p>
<p>“Do you like the way he ruts into my hand?” Chad asked, offering Jay a particularly hard grind.</p>
<p>“<em>Yes</em>,” Carlos croaked as though he was the one Chad was touching. “He looks very um- pretty when you touch him.”</p>
<p>“Hear that, Jay?” Chad asked, grinning at the broken moan that spilled from Jay’s mouth. “Are you close?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Jay hissed, hips moving in weak stutters.</p>
<p>“Would you like to come for me?” Chad pressed, moving his hand faster. “Would you like to come for Carlos?”</p>
<p>Both of them shuddered at that.  <em>Interesting</em>.</p>
<p>“Yes, please,” Jay said, so very eager.</p>
<p>“Carlos,” Chad said, pulling the young De Ville’s focus once more. “Can Jay come now?”</p>
<p>Jay whimpered into Chad’s neck, but he kept his hand going, his gaze focused on Carlos.</p>
<p>Who flushed. “W-What?”</p>
<p>“Can Jay come now?” Chad asked. “He’d like to come for you, but only if you want it.” Chad continued his relentless tease. “We’ll keep waiting until you do.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay groaned. “V-Volker-”</p>
<p>“Carlos,” Chad said. “It’s Carlos you should be calling for.”</p>
<p>“<em>Carlos</em>,” Jay moaned, and the other teen froze, face dusted in a furious blush. “Carlos, <em>please</em>, I wanna-”</p>
<p>“He’s pretty when he begs, too,” Chad said. “Don’t you think?”</p>
<p>“<em>Carlos</em>,” Jay whined.</p>
<p>“L-Let him,” Carlos said. “Let him come.  He can- I wanna see-”</p>
<p>And so he shall.</p>
<p>Chad coaxed Jay over the edge until he was a trembling, crooning mess, aiming the remnants of his ecstasy away from them so Carlos could have a full view.  He didn’t stop until Jay was whining into his neck, thighs twitching from overstimulation. </p>
<p>“There you go,” Chad urged, pressing a kiss to that messy hair. “You did such a good job, precious.  We’re both very proud of you.”</p>
<p>“W-Wow,” Carlos muttered.  He had a hand pressed between his legs but he seemed mostly listless, had likely also fallen apart from the view alone.</p>
<p>“Want to put him away?” Chad asked, cradling Jay carefully as he whimpered.</p>
<p>Carlos flushed. “Um- if I-” He crawled forward carefully, eyeing Jay’s flushed features before he helped Chad tuck him back into his pants, fingers trembling all the while. </p>
<p>It was easy laying Jay down against the pallet, though coaxing Carlos to follow him was harder, since he was a nervous, sputtering mess.</p>
<p>“Hold on,” Chad said, pulling out a handkerchief and deftly reaching into Carlos’ clothes to clean him, the other teen caught between whining and reveling in the attention. </p>
<p>When it was over, he allowed the two of them to share him as a pillow.</p>
<p>“Remember, this is a safe space,” he urged them, petting a hand down their back. “This stays here.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Carlos mumbled, seeming mostly asleep already.</p>
<p>Jay merely grunted, but since Carlos was the one Chad was worried about, he didn’t really say anything.</p>
<p>“Good job, baby,” he whispered, reveling in the way Carlos shuddered against him, and decided that despite the assassination attempt, it had been a good day.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Anthony Gets a Promotion</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>Originally, I had plans for more Dizzy/Chad bonding, but as you can see by the deleted scenes, I was never able to get my inspiration to accommodate this desire.  Below is a tidbit of Dizzy asking for something and Chad accommodating it while giving Anthony a promotion.</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“So, can we go?” Dizzy looked at him with huge puppy eyes that Chad was never going to be able to say no to in the first place.</p>
<p>He sighed. “<em>Fine</em>.”  Dizzy whooped, grabbing onto Darla to spin in a quick circle. “<em>But-</em>” Chad continued, much to their groans. “You’ll take one of the crews with you for protection. And-” He looked around, caught Anthony pushing a broom down the hallway. “Anthony!”</p>
<p>His cousin didn’t flinch – Anthony was too restrained for that – but he did offer a suspicious look.  A look that only compounded when Chad motioned him over.</p>
<p>“Congratulations,” Chad drawled, relieving him of his broom. “You’ve just been promoted to a desk job.  I need you to organize rotations for everyone to go out and celebrate the midsummer festival down on the beach.” Anthony blinked at him, flexing his empty hands, but Chad kept going. “Dizzy will let you know the group that’s going.  Try to organize it so that we still have people manning each of our main facilities.  Oh, and make sure you allot yourself time to celebrate as well.” Yeah, that would work.  “Office down the hall from mine is empty, you can use that.  Dizzy.” He turned to the girl. “Get moving.”</p>
<p>“<em>Woo!</em>” His younger cousin pumped her fist in the air. “We can celebrate <em>and</em> Anthony got a promotion?  This is the best day ever!” </p>
<p>“That’s the spirit.” Chad squeezed her arm and giving the other two shoulder pats, Anthony still seeming at a loss at the sudden turn of events.</p>
<p>Chad paid him no mind, choosing to update Carlos on his change in assistants.  Looked like Arthur was getting a promotion too. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p><strong>Chapter 9</strong> <strong>– Alternate Ending to Jay Catching Chad Rewarding Harry</strong></p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>This was ultimately cut because I couldn’t come up with a follow up scene, leading me to pursue other avenues.  Still, it’s a nice dosage of bratty Jay, which is always fun ;)</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad was maybe halfway to driving Harry into the arms of total ecstasy when what had become their usual appointment of ‘disciplining’ was interrupted.  He had the first mate trapped against one of the couches, splayed out on his back with both arms pinned above his head, beautifully naked and moaning.  Chad was using his free hand to coax the pirate’s hips into a familiar rhythm, murmuring lowly in his ear to make him more and more wild, until the pirate seemed entirely incapable of coherent speech, relying on angry snarls to convey his appreciation. </p>
<p>“That’s it, darling’,” he soothed, nuzzling against Harry’s neck as he worked the pirate into a frenzy. “Just like that.  Are you close?”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes, Volker,” Harry moaned, hips stuttering into his hand. “I’m close.  I’m gonna-”</p>
<p>He cut off at the ominous shift of the door, Chad immediately moving to block Harry from sight, gaze narrowing at the entrance that had <em>definitely</em> been locked. If it was opening now, it was either of someone with a key (Mal) or someone capable of picking locks.</p>
<p>When a shocked looking Jay slid into view, Chad had his answer, and his frustration.</p>
<p>“<em>Jay</em>,” he said lowly, dragging the thief’s attention to him. “I had the door locked for a reason.”</p>
<p>“I know, I just-” Jay flushed. “I thought somebody was hurt.”</p>
<p>A plausible cover story, though a false one.  Jay’s curiosity had been peaked so he’d picked the lock, interested to see what secrets lurked behind it.  Stupid little horndog.  </p>
<p>“How benevolent of you,” Chad drawled, feeling Harry tense beneath him. “Get in here and lock the door.”</p>
<p>One of Harry’s hands curled tight against his bicep, but Chad ignored it, giving Harry’s hip a careful squeeze to let him know Chad had things covered.</p>
<p>Jay rushed to do what he was told.</p>
<p>“Now,” Chad picked up when the task was done. “Get in the corner.”</p>
<p>Jay frowned. “But-”</p>
<p>“You’re the one who chose to intrude where you were not wanted,” Chad growled. “A punishment’s in order, but I don’t have time for you right now.” He felt Harry shiver. “<em>Go</em>, Jay.”</p>
<p>“F-Fine,” the thief grumbled, moving to obey with petulant steps.  Fortunately, he picked one of the far corners of the room, leaving Chad and Harry hidden by the back of the couch.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Chad dropped his voice nice and quiet, running a soothing hand down Harry’s side. “I’ll make this up to you, okay?  Do you want to finish later?”</p>
<p>“I want Jay to <em>fuck off</em>,” Harry growled, flexing against Chad’s hold.  He was still notably excited, though he seemed upset by this. </p>
<p>“You can come up with his punishment,” Chad said, knowing what a bounty he was offering. “It’s only fair.”</p>
<p>At last, Harry got a wicked grin.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 12 – Alternate Ending to Carlos finding Chad in the Secret Passage</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>Ultimately, I felt that the version of this scene I ended up using provided more angst and forward momentum.  This was my original take that ended in cuddles, which is very lovely, but not great for pacing :)</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The princess, of course, was over by the couch Chad had carefully repaired for her, working on what seemed to be some embroidery for one of Mal’s coats.</p>
<p>“Did you find anything?” she asked, gaze focused on her needlework, and when she looked up she paused at the sight of Chad carrying a wide-eyed Carlos, his hand still shoved against the smaller teen’s mouth.</p>
<p>It made Chad realize what a dumb picture they must make, so he hastily set Carlos down, swiftly turning around so he could shut and re-latch the hidden entrance.</p>
<p>“Ah,” Evie hummed, emanating an easy sort of amused satisfaction. “So you’ve found our esteemed leader.”</p>
<p>“What were you doing?” Carlos asked again, and it was a testament to how comfortable he was in Chad’s presence, how much he trusted him, that he didn’t mind asking Chad the question. “Were you spying on Mal?”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Evie perked up, her perfect grin widening into something infinitesimally more wicked. “Mal who’s supposed to be with Gil and Harry tonight?”</p>
<p>“Were you-?” Carlos cut himself off with a flush, both hands pressed against his mouth as though he dare not contemplate the implications of such a statement. “Were you watching them <em>have sex?</em>”</p>
<p>There really wasn’t any way to salvage the situation, and yet, Chad tried out of obligation to his reputation, pulling his shoulders back and feeling exceedingly grateful for the mask that hid his face. “For the record, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”</p>
<p>Evie cackled.  Actually <em>cackled</em>.  She must have gotten it from Mal. “You <em>were</em>,” she laughed while Carlos flushed darker.  It was moments like these that made Chad glad that Jay had decided to stay on the Lost Revenge with Uma that night. “You were totally watching them get it on.”</p>
<p>“Why, though?” Carlos squeaked, seemingly confused. “They’d let you watch if you just asked.”</p>
<p>“Are you-?” Evie perked up, setting her embroidery aside so she could face Chad head on. “Are you too <em>shy</em> to ask?”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>,” Chad said, a little too quickly and a little too defensively, and then Carlos and Evie were sharing a look mixed with wonder and celebration.</p>
<p> Chad really needed to nip this in the bud. “They’d act differently if I was there, anyway,” he tried to explain.  He didn’t know why he tried, because there was no explanation that didn’t sound stupid, and yet, he persevered. “And I’d have to be…”</p>
<p>“Volker,” Evie finished, something like recognition in her eyes. “You couldn’t just watch, you’d have to play the part.”</p>
<p>Slowly, as though searching for a trap, Chad nodded.</p>
<p>Evie’s smile softened again, still devastatingly pretty, but with a little less edge to it. “Come here,” she said, getting up from her couch and settling onto the edge of her bed.  Chad followed after a moment’s hesitation, not entirely sure what she could want, feeling a little awkward sitting so close to the princess.</p>
<p>“Shoes off,” she ordered, motioning for Carlos to join them.</p>
<p>Chad stared at her for a hard beat.</p>
<p>She sighed. “I’m assuming you would like to keep this… development between the three of us, yes?” Obviously, yes, but Chad was grateful she at least framed it like a question.  He nodded. “Then Carlos and I will keep your secret,” she declared, the young De Ville settling down on Chad’s other side. “Assuming you let us have a secret of our own.”</p>
<p>“What do you want?” Chad asked, his heart starting to beat a little bit harder.</p>
<p>“Nothing more than you can give,” she assured. “Now, boots.”</p>
<p>For lack of anything better to do, Chad followed the order.</p>
<p>“Carlos?” Evie prompted, and then the two of them were helping Chad out of his multitude of belts, setting his weapons and pouches aside on the nightstand while Evie eased him out of his coat. </p>
<p>It was as bare as Chad ever got around them, and he found himself fighting not to fidget in place.</p>
<p>“Now,” Evie began, shifting so that she was splayed across the length of her mattress.  She opened up her arms. “Come here.” Chad tensed, but she seemed resolute, staring him down. “I won’t bite.”</p>
<p>“I’m still not having sex with you,” Chad said, feeling clumsier than usual, but Evie only smiled, holding her arms open patiently until Chad moved to enter her hold, resting his head against her chest.  It was- um- a pretty chest.  Not that Chad <em>looked</em>, exactly, Chad tried hard not to do that even though back in Auradon he’d ended up doing just that with Jane like a real creeper, especially when Jane, like Evie, had so many other wonderful qualities that should be appropriately appreciated-</p>
<p>“<em>Relax</em>,” Evie urged, rubbing a hand against the back of his head. “Carlos, guard his back.”</p>
<p>Chad felt the mattress dip behind him, and then Carlos was spooning in close, curling behind Chad’s back with a quiet nuzzle that made the tension ease from his shoulders completely.</p>
<p>This was- oh.  Yeah.  He wanted this.  He shared a bed with Mal a couple times a week, with Harry too, but they always needed him to be <em>Volker</em> and truthfully, he should probably be Volker here, too, but Evie kept petting his head, humming a light tune that made everything feel easier.</p>
<p>“You’re doing such a marvelous job,” Evie murmured. “Taking care of us, <em>all</em> of us.  You’re so strong and brave, and we care about you very much.”</p>
<p>Chad shuddered, couldn’t fight it if he tried, and felt Carlos tighten his hold instead of pulling away in shock.</p>
<p>“You’re great, Volker,” the young De Ville whispered. “And if you need time to cuddle, we’re happy to help you.”</p>
<p>“This doesn’t leave this room,” Evie added, and <em>that</em> was what made Chad surrender to their attentions entirely.  And maybe it was stupid, because they were both so very smart and Chad only had an advantage based on what he’d learned in Auradon, but he was only human.  He could only manage so much and he needed- wanted, these quiet little moments.</p>
<p>Evie pressed a finger under his chin, tilting his head back so that she could press a kiss against his mask, and even though the contact was stifled it made his heart flutter, a curious thrill that only intensified when Carlos propped himself up so he could do the same.  Evie kissed the top of his head and Carlos kissed his shoulders.  They both kissed his hands and cuddled him close and said nice things that made him shiver.</p>
<p>“Our knight,” Evie cooed, soft and gentle. “Our knight in shining armor.”</p>
<p>“Stay with us,” Carlos asked.  And Chad, unable to deny them, did.</p>
<p>It was easily one of the best sleeps he’d ever had.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p><strong>Chapter 12</strong> <strong>– Evie’s Birthday</strong></p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>Originally, I had the following series of scenes planned after Chad started dancing with Evie as a demonstration of his affection and appreciation for her.  Unfortunately, it bogged the pacing down too much for me to use it, especially when so much time had already been devoted to Evie, so ultimately it got cut</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Your birthday’s coming soon,” Chad noted conversationally when he leaned into Evie’s office, knowing better than to take the hard-working princess for granted again. </p>
<p>It was a small thing to bring it up himself, but it had obviously been on her mind because the smile she gifted him with was truly radiant – pleased and touched all in one.</p>
<p>“It is,” she hummed, setting her pen aside so she could focus on him.</p>
<p>“Do you have an idea of what you want?” Chad asked, closing the door behind him carefully.  After a moment, he decided to cross to her, kneeling down next to her chair in an obvious sign of respect.</p>
<p>Her smile spread wider, and after a moment’s hesitation, she reached forward to caress his mask-covered cheek, the same way Mal was prone to doing sometimes. “I have a few ideas.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Despite the fact that his… more-than-department-heads (his friends? – the people he was attached to) were definitely allowed to ask each other for special birthday requests, Evie, much like Carlos, had turned to Chad to make her wish come true. </p>
<p>It was, as always, humbling to aid with such a thing, and Chad did his best to help her through the request, even if he felt distinctly stupid doing it. </p>
<p>Still, for Evie he would try. </p>
<p>He guided the princess through the secret passages – Evie sporting a new dress that fluttered around her thighs, making her look especially ethereal and royal, her hair done up in elaborate twists.  He led her out into what was slowly becoming their private ballroom, trying not to shiver at the brush of cool air against his bare arms.  It was unfortunate that Jay had a very particular <em>aesthetic</em> that forever required him to show off his muscles.  Chad had borrowed some of his clothes to make this work, though Evie had made him a new mask and bandana more in the style of Agrabah to help set the scene.  The material was less durable than Chad was used to, and with the sleeveless tunic, he couldn’t wear his under armor, but Evie seemed delighted and that was what mattered.</p>
<p>“Princess,” Chad drawled with a lazy bow he’d seen Jay give roughly a hundred times before. “Shall we dance?”</p>
<p>“I’d love to, my prince,” she said, accepting his hand with a squeeze of her fingers, and Chad did his best to imitate Jay’s bashfulness when he was offered something he didn’t think he deserved, trying to play it off with a flirtatious chuckle.</p>
<p>“Of course you would,” he allowed, and then <em>she</em> was giggling as they set off across the room, dancing to a music no one else could hear. </p>
<p>“Do you know Agraben dancing?” Evie asked as he spun her close to his chest.</p>
<p>Chad imitated Jay’s unimpressed scoff. “Of course I do.  What kind of <em>prince</em> would I be, if I didn’t?”</p>
<p>“Then might we indulge?” Evie asked, her eyes sparkling. “I so rarely have a partner familiar with that style of dance.”</p>
<p>It was understandable, because Agraben dancing was mostly comprised of two partners moving around each other in specific, dedicated movements.  Meaning one couldn’t just blindly lead, both had to be perfectly in sync, move with precision and care through movements that rarely repeated.</p>
<p>Chad had learned it as a test of stamina and agility, and it seemed Evie was familiar too, if only because her mother had forced the need into her.  Still, it was nice to see Evie reclaim the knowledge for something frivolous and fun, her giggles floating through the air like a balm on his heart.</p>
<p>“You’re driving me crazy, princess,” Chad said, wrapping himself around the princess’s back as soon as the dance ended in a territorial move Jay committed to often in private. “You’re smart, organized, hardworking-”</p>
<p>“Jay wouldn’t say that,” she giggled as she snuggled back into his arms.</p>
<p>Chad dipped his lips so that they brushed against her shoulder. “Not to your face, because he’s dumb, but he- <em>I</em> go on about you all the time when you’re not around to anyone that will listen.  Though that’s mostly Mal and Carlos, who a hundred percent agree with me.”</p>
<p>“…he does?” The pale flush in Evie’s cheeks darkened into a lovely blush. “He doesn’t just think I’m pretty?”</p>
<p>“Jay’s dumb, but he’s not <em>that</em> dumb,” Chad said, squeezing her close. “You could ask him yourself but he’d probably get all tongue-tied around you.  Just know that when he gets all flirtatious, it’s because he’s too afraid to do anything else but he wants you to feel good.”</p>
<p>“Duly noted,” Evie hummed, aiming a brilliant smile at him.</p>
<p>“Huh.” Evie and Chad froze at the new voice, both turning to see Uma lingering near the door to the ballroom. “I didn’t even know this place existed, but Carlos said I could find Jay here.”</p>
<p>It was enough to make whatever anxiety Chad held melt away. “Carlos is a regular riot,” he deadpanned, reveling in the shark-like grin it earned him.</p>
<p>“I think he’s in Mal’s room, if you’re looking for him,” Evie added, the fingers twitching against Chad’s forearms the only tell that she was nervous.</p>
<p>“And this is… what, that birthday stuff Mal was talking about?” Uma asked, taking a steady once over of their outfits, her gaze seeming to linger on Chad’s arms.</p>
<p>Seriously, they were not <em>that</em> special.</p>
<p>“Yes.” Chad released his hold on Evie so he could step beside her, taking her hand and splitting the load of Uma’s attention.  Her brows raised when she realized he was dressed in Jay’s clothes. “And if you’ll excuse us, Captain, we still have a little more to work through.”</p>
<p>“We do?” Evie asked, so carefully hopeful.</p>
<p>Chad squeezed her hand, nodding. “We do.”</p>
<p>“Then don’t let me keep you,” Uma grinned, offering both of them a wink. “You guys have fun, though…” She gave Chad one last look over. “I wanna talk to you about Harry’s birthday later.  In say- a few hours?”</p>
<p>“That should be fine.”</p>
<p>Uma left without further delay, bidding goodbye with a lazy wiggle of her fingers.  Chad waited a few moments before he guided Evie back to the secret passageway, leading her back into the safety of her bedroom. </p>
<p>He left her standing, taking both of her hands in his and giving them a careful squeeze before he stepped away.  He could feel his pulse begin to speed despite his best efforts, but Chad ignored it, doing his best to keep his breaths even as he reached towards the high collar of Jay’s vest. </p>
<p>Evie’s gaze lit up with realization just before Chad started unzipping it, her lips parting ever so slightly when his torso was revealed to her.  He didn’t take the vest completely off, wanting to hide the mess of scar tissue lingering on his back, but knowing that this alone would be enough.  Evie certainly understood the immensity of what he was offering.</p>
<p>“Volker…” she whispered, drifting forward before she seemed able to help herself. “You… you’re…”</p>
<p>“You can touch me,” he offered, heart seeming to leap to his throat despite his careful rehearsals. “If you’d like.”</p>
<p>“<em>Yes</em>,” she hissed, similar to Mal’s territorial claims, and just like that she descended on Chad, letting her pale fingers graze against his sides before marveling at the dips and swells of his muscles, fingering the delicate curve just under his pectorals in wonder. </p>
<p>It was strange, having someone feel him up like this after going without for so long, to <em>feel</em> direct contact when Chad was so used to wearing his under armor.  Before the bad thing, Chad had rarely worked up the courage to explore himself in such a way, and the few times he had he’d imagined Jane or Ben’s hands in place of his own, wondered if Jane would be bashful and nervous and Ben kind- as though either of them would want to touch <em>Chad</em>.</p>
<p>But here, Chad was Volker, was a wonder and a mystery and Evie seemed to revel in touching him, stepping closer and closer until they were sharing the same space.</p>
<p>“May I…?” Evie asked, leaning forward and hovering so that her painted lips were mere inches from his bare shoulder.</p>
<p>Chad considered this, then nodded. “Go for it.”</p>
<p>She took her time.  It was strange, to be doted on in such a way, but Evie was nothing if not patient.  She made sure no skin was left unaddressed, covering his entire shoulder with kisses before moving to his collarbones, to the other shoulder.  She shifted downward with a flush, parting her lips in a large ‘o’ so she could begin to suck and lick at his pale skin, making him tremble.  She planted her hands on his pectorals, rubbing and grazing against his nipples every so often, though it seemed entirely unintentional. </p>
<p>It was different, and Chad couldn’t deny a certain warmth beginning to stir in him at her dedicated attention.</p>
<p>“Couch,” she ordered, eyes half-lidded and breath coming in pants, and Chad didn’t deny her, sitting with his back against the arm of the couch while she crawled between the V of his legs, working her way downwards as she kissed and sucked and licked at this chest.  Were Chad less broken, he would probably be aroused by now, but as it was he was only semi-interested, though distinctly warm and hot. </p>
<p>He didn’t know if Evie was disappointed by that by the time she got to the skin just above the waist of Jay’s pants, but Chad would never know.</p>
<p>“Would you…?” Chad’s voice felt thick and clumsy, but he pushed past it, hoping she was too worked up to notice. “If you sit in my lap… I can’t touch you but that doesn’t mean you can’t um… touch yourself.”</p>
<p>It took a second for the words to process, and then Evie was gasping, settling herself appropriately so that her back was against Chad’s chest, her hands wrapping his arms around his waist before she spread her legs wide, sliding her hands under the flowing fabric of her skirt.</p>
<p>“That’s it,” Char murmured, tilting his forehead against her navy locks. “Are you all nice and wet for me?”</p>
<p>Evie shivered when her skirt was eased higher, and even though Chad couldn’t really see anything from his position, he knew without a doubt that Evie was feeling at her panties, her breath coming in a wistful sigh.</p>
<p>“<em>Yes</em>,” she gasped. “I’m so wet for you.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad,” Chad said, trying to be honest when he was all out of <em>suave</em>. “I like it when you feel good.”</p>
<p>“You do?” Evie breathed, hips rocking carefully into her fingers.</p>
<p>“Of course.” Chad nuzzled her shoulder, pressing mask-covered kisses close to her neck. “I… I care for you a lot, Evie.” More than he had words to say. “You <em>are</em> hardworking and smart and talented, but more than that, you’re <em>kind</em> and… I wish I could give you the moon.  I wish I could give you the sun, but I only have this to offer.” He squeezed her close. “You are so <em>very</em> brilliant, Evie, and I’m glad I met you.”</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” she gasped, her hands moving faster.  She turned her head so she could nuzzle against him, staring at him with a wanton expression. “I- I’m glad I know you too, glad…” She moaned, and Chad held her closer, let her knew it was okay, that this was for her. “You- you already gave me the moon-”</p>
<p>“I can do better-” Chad attempted to protest.</p>
<p>“Shut up and hold me,” she growled, and he did, held her and hugged her and lov- <em>cared</em> for her until she was falling apart, his name moaned on her pretty red lips. </p>
<p>It was enough to make him ache in a distant way, but he pushed himself past it, knowing now was not the time.</p>
<p>For a few moments, Chad just held her, let her savor the aftershocks as her breath came more and more easily.</p>
<p>“…would you like me to give you a bath?” he asked eventually, grateful that she was facing away from him and couldn’t see his blush.</p>
<p>She let out a tired laugh. “You’ll spoil me.”</p>
<p>“You deserve to be spoiled,” he said, and that was that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Uma found them later, when Chad was carefully washing Evie’s hair, massaging her scalp and trying desperately not to look at her naked body, because he was only human and she was very pretty.</p>
<p>“Hey, princess,” Uma said, settling down next to the tub and leaning against the side, her head propped up on the folds of her arms. “You have a good birthday?”</p>
<p>“The best,” Evie hummed, giving a contented sigh.</p>
<p>“May I help?” Uma hummed, and that was how Chad got to know that watching a pretty girl help sponge bathe another very pretty girl was something that made him hopelessly embarrassed for reasons he could not articulate.  It was good to know he was not entirely broken, just broken enough for it to be inconvenient.  Story of his life.</p>
<p>Chad was in the process of very <em>carefully</em> washing out Evie’s hair, trying not to get distracted by the soft kisses Uma and Evie would occasionally trade, when Evie finally spoke up.</p>
<p>“Harry’s birthday is soon, right?” she asked almost sleepily, eye-half lidded with the bliss of relaxation.</p>
<p>Uma hummed. “It is, but I don’t want to cut into your special time, princess.”</p>
<p>“I’ve already had it pretty great,” Evie said, smiling. “And our darlin’ deserves something special.”</p>
<p>“Do you have an idea of what he wants?” Chad asked, taking Evie’s cue to proceed.</p>
<p>A sly smirk spread across Uma’s lips. “I do, but he’ll never be able to ask you for it.”</p>
<p>“<em>Oooh</em>, do share,” Evie said, seeming to perk up.</p>
<p>The smirk widened into a vicious grin, and then Uma did just that.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Alternate discovery – What’s Under the Mask.</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>So I very briefly played around with the idea of Chad running up another mask to go under his cloth mask after Harry drunkenly stumbled upon him, a sort of back up just in case he ever last his mask.  He’d use his runes to create the illusion of scars over the bottom half of his face to keep his identity concealed.  Of course, eventually the others discover these scars, prompting a heart-to-heart, but I ultimately decided to cut these scenes in favor of the crew getting a look at his actual, emotional scars rather than fake ones. </em></p>
<p>
  <em>WARNING – The first paragraph of the second part of the scene might be triggering – it involves Chad having a nightmare.  It’s just the first paragraph though, the next has him waking up.</em>
</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>After Harry’s close encounter with Chad as a ‘spirit’, Chad decided to take some extra precautions.  He carved small illusion runes into an ear cuff – spending hours tinkering on the final composition until <em>finally</em> he had a respectable illusion of a scarred-up jaw – everything below his nose seemingly marred with cuts and burns.  It was enough to be off-putting while still providing no obvious vocal handicaps, which would explain why his speech hadn’t been impaired. </p>
<p>Not that Chad expected to be caught without his mask again, but if he <em>did</em>, he would properly scarred, thus explaining his adamancy about staying covered.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad struggled through the darkness like a sinking ship, like his lungs were filling up with water and there was a hint of light in the distance but he couldn’t struggle for it no matter how hard he tried.  All he knew was that he was falling, getting pulled deeper and deeper just like his mother and this was it- his grandfather had won.  He was going to die and he was never going to see Ben again, he was never going to save Sardinia or get the others off of the Isle and he couldn’t breathe- he just wanted to <em>breathe</em>-</p>
<p>Chad burst through the darkness with a cry, twisting up into the sitting position while his hands clutched at his face.  There was something there, something- he needed it <em>gone</em>, some rough fabric that he tore away without thought, tossing it to the far end of the- the bed? </p>
<p>It was a bed, he realized belatedly, everything coming back to him in slow shifts as he gasped for air.  <em>Fuck</em> this was- he was in his room.  Not <em>his</em> room but the Bargain Castle room, and-</p>
<p>“Volker?” That was Mal, blinking out of her sleep with a concerned look on her face. “Volker, what-?”</p>
<p>She cut off, and far too late did Chad realize that he wasn’t wearing his mask.</p>
<p>“Is everything okay?” Gil asked, so very exhausted.  It was adorable, but Chad couldn’t waste time on it, was too busy pressing a hand against his mouth so he could go find the stupid mask he had literally just <em>thrown</em> like a dumb piece of shit.</p>
<p>“It’s fine,” Chad muttered, beginning to pull himself from the blankets. “Go back to bed.”</p>
<p>“Volker.” Mal had a hand on his wrist because she’d seen- the fake scars that he’d given himself, the- it didn’t matter. “Volker, it’s okay.”</p>
<p>“I know it’s okay.” Chad wanted to jerk out of her grip but he also didn’t want to disrupt Gil, who seemed to be ignoring his order and was waking up slowly, sitting up to join them. “Mal, go to sleep.”</p>
<p>“So you’ve got scars,” Mal said, forever tactless. “We all have scars, Volker.  Yours don’t make you less.”</p>
<p>“Did something happen?” Gil asked. “Why are we talking about scars?”</p>
<p>“Gil.” Chad forced himself to stay calm. “My mask’s on the floor over there, could you grab it for me?”</p>
<p>“Don’t do that Gil,” Mal ordered, leaving the second mate in an awkward lurch. “You don’t get to help us all the time and then <em>refuse</em> to let us return the favor.”</p>
<p>“Sure I can,” Chad snapped. “I’m-”</p>
<p>“We’re <em>partners</em>.” Mal leaned into his space with a snarl. “You help me and <em>I help you</em>, now lower your damn hand, you <em>asshole</em>.”</p>
<p>Fucking- Chad was already making too big a deal out of this.  He knew that.  They weren’t even real <em>scars</em>, but Mal was looking at him with this unreadable expression that made Chad feel like he was going to shake apart.</p>
<p>Slowly, he put his hand down, unable to block out Gil’s surprised gasp.</p>
<p>“<em>Volker</em>,” he whispered, fingers straying towards one of the fake scars.</p>
<p>Chad tilted away from the touch. “It’s fine.  You’re right, I overreacted.”</p>
<p>“You don’t need to be reasonable right now,” Mal said, letting her fingers graze the bottom of his jaw. “In fact,” her voice began to sound a little bit watery. “I encourage you to be unreasonable.”</p>
<p>“<em>Mal</em>.” He reached forward, letting his hand rest against her shoulder. “Don’t- please don’t cry.  It’s not that bad.  It doesn’t even hurt.”</p>
<p>“Oh, sweet evil – don’t comfort <em>me</em>, you doof,” she laughed. “For once could you focus on yourself?”</p>
<p>“I focus on myself all the time,” Chad answered honestly. “It’s why I’m not dead yet.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” she hissed. “I mean, I know we all have shitty parents-”</p>
<p>Chad flinched, couldn’t help it. “This isn’t-”</p>
<p>He shook his head.  Aside from neglect, his father was far from the one to blame.  And his mother’s only crime was dying too soon, which was less a crime and more an unfortunate fact.</p>
<p>“What?” Mal pressed. “Was it a shitty grandparent?”</p>
<p>Chad flinched again, this time into Gil’s arms, who hugged him from behind.</p>
<p>“Who?” Mal asked. “Who was it?  Are they dead?”</p>
<p>“They’re… not a problem here,” Gil settled on, because that was as close to the truth as he could get.</p>
<p>“But they did this,” Mal’s fingers grazed some of the fake scars. “They did this to you.”</p>
<p>“He made me stronger,” Chad murmured. “I hate him, but I wouldn’t be able to survive like this if it hadn’t been for him.”</p>
<p>“He can still fucking <em>die</em> as far as I’m concerned,” Mal snapped. “We’ll kill him one day, I promise.”</p>
<p>It was such a little thing.  Not even a conversationally appropriate one, back in Auradon, <em>but</em>.</p>
<p>But Chad had been fighting his grandfather alone for a very long time, and while he always <em>hoped</em> to rid that toxic influence from his life completely, it was something completely different to have someone pledge to help him.  To <em>want</em> to help him and not just think he was crazy, or overreacting, or young, or stupid. </p>
<p>That was likely why the tears started welling down Chad’s cheeks unbidden, such an open <em>relief</em> that he couldn’t help but cry.</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Mal whispered again, moving forward until she was hugging Chad too, wiping tears from his cheeks. “It’s okay.  It’s okay, this is a safe space-”</p>
<p>That coaxed out a laugh that was halfway to a sob. “Please don’t- the others-”</p>
<p>“They deserve to know.” Mal wouldn’t back down on this. “We work together.  That’s what you taught us, Volker.”</p>
<p>“It’s why we’ve lived this long,” Gil offered, voice soft. “You gotta let us take care of you too.”</p>
<p>“So cry,” Mal said. “And let us hug you, and let us hold <em>you</em> for once, and one day, we’ll kill your grandfather.”</p>
<p>“You say the sweetest things,” Chad whispered.</p>
<p>“<em>Lies</em>,” Mal hissed. “Vicious lies, I’m perfectly evil.”</p>
<p>“You’re perfect,” Chad said. “That much, I’ll give you.”</p>
<p>“<em>Damn you</em>.” Mal quivered against him. “Saying such nice bullshit things like that.”</p>
<p>“I like them,” Gil said quietly.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Mal sighed. “Me too.”</p>
<p>“So,” Chad swallowed. “We should probably nail down what we’re going to tell-”</p>
<p>“Sweet evil, just <em>cry</em>,” Mal ordered. “Plan later, cry and cuddle now, gorgeous.”</p>
<p>“Don’t-” Even back in Auradon, Chad hated being known for his looks.  Mostly, because that was all he supposedly had to offer.</p>
<p>“You’re gorgeous to us,” Gil whispered quietly. “And you’re smart and nice and kind.”</p>
<p>Unable to help himself, Chad shivered.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Mal said. “I see what you like.  Our little genius.”</p>
<p>“Our strong leader.”</p>
<p>“<em>Guys</em>,” Chad croaked.</p>
<p>“That’s right, let the tears out,” Mal said, shifting them so they cuddled against the bed once more. “And then we’ll talk.”</p>
<p>It was a relief and a worry all in one, but Chad knew it was over, and there was nothing to be done.  So he moved on.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Alternate Ending – Volker Gets an Invite</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>In the version of Auradon that regularly gets up to date information from the Isle, I had a version of this story where Ben extended an invitation to Volker as well as the others to attend Auradon Prep.  I ultimately nixed this because it had the crew split up for too long, but what follows below is a series of scenes where Chad reveals his identity to the others in the limo ride over, and the chaos that falls after.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>It should be noted that in this alternate world, Chad hadn’t suffered his sexual trauma, making him much more open to those kind of interactions.</em>
</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>The others kept their eyes fixed to the wondrous scenery flying outside the limousine window, Jay and Carlos alternating between eating the provided snacks and taking in the view while Evie and Mal tried not to gawk at the swirling magic around them.  Chad let them have this moment, taking his long-neglected phone out of his pocket and powering it to life. </p>
<p>“Hey.” Carlos frowned at him. “What’s that?”</p>
<p>“Cell phone,” Chad explained. “I’m going to have to give a lot of information to you very quickly but bottom line is that for the sake of survival I lied to you about a lot of things.” He held up a hand when Carlos moved to ask <em>what</em>, flicking through his contacts until he found Ben’s name.  Hopefully, the prince hadn’t changed his number yet.  He imitated the call. “I’ll explain in a moment but I need to take care of something.”</p>
<p>Ben picked up after two rings.</p>
<p>“Don’t say who it is,” Chad ordered, trying to keep his tone somewhere between Volker and the old <em>Chad Charming</em> and getting lost in between. “I need you to do me a favor.”</p>
<p>“<em>But-</em>” Ben sounded breathless and lost.</p>
<p>“<em>Ben</em>,” Chad stressed. “You need to stay composed.  I assume my grandfather spread news of my death?”</p>
<p>“…<em>yes</em>.”</p>
<p>“He was misinformed,” Chad explained quietly, deciding to set aside prospects of treason so he could take care of his grandfather himself. “I need you to pretend this phone call is an update from the driver you sent to the Isle of the Lost.  Due to mechanical issues, you have to redirect him to the Auradon Castle Private Garages, okay?  As soon as this phone call is over you need to contact the driver and get him to go to the castle, <em>not</em> the school.  It’s important.”</p>
<p>“<em>Of course</em>,” Ben said solemnly, sounding more composed than before.  If Chad wasn’t trying so hard to stay in control of the situation, he might have cried for how good it was to hear the other prince. “<em>I’ll call off the reception.  Everyone can go back to their classes.</em>”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Ben.” It was good to be trusted, good to still be listened to after his absence. “I promise I’ll get you some answers soon, but you need to keep the party that meets us small.  Don’t allow for any <em>gaps in security</em>.”</p>
<p>Which was the greatest hint Chad could give for <em>possible assassins</em>, but Ben didn’t need it explained to him, because he actually could be clever on occasion.</p>
<p>“<em>I won’t</em>,” Ben promised. “<em>I’ll see you soon, at the- later.</em>”</p>
<p>“Later,” Chad echoed, cutting off the call before he could waste battery holding out for another taste of Ben’s voice.</p>
<p>He shut the phone off as soon as he could, disassembling it and removing the battery to keep it from being traced, all the while painfully aware of the others’ focus on him.</p>
<p>“Ben?” Mal echoed. “Was that <em>Prince </em>Ben?”  </p>
<p>“Yep.” There was no point in denying it. “Old friend of mine.  Long story short, I’m not from the Isle.”</p>
<p>“You’re from Auradon,” it was Carlos who said it, a picture that was unfairly adorable with his clever eyes and chocolate smeared all over his lips. “<em>That’s</em> how you know so much stuff.  Gardening, hunting, survival, delegation-”</p>
<p>“I’m Prince Chadwick James of Sardinia,” Chad cut to the point. “My grandfather dumped me on the Isle in a poor assassination attempt.”</p>
<p>“What the fuck?” Jay muttered, cheeks lighting in a flush. “You’re a <em>prince?</em>”</p>
<p>“Yes.” He would have to get used to that soon. “And you four are the dashing heroes who rescued me, who helped me survive that treacherous place until Prince Ben made his edict.  You will be hailed as heroes of Sardinia, and then we will use our combined knowledge to start making an effort to get the rest of our forces off of the Isle.  With me backing as a character witness, they’ll have no real reason to deny us, especially considering the fact that they have no real grounds to hold you or any of the villains’ descendants on the Isle in the first place.”</p>
<p>“Wait.” Evie held up a hand. “So we’re- we’re really getting everyone off the Isle?”</p>
<p>“Everyone who hasn’t committed a crime in Auradon,” Chad replied, because at this point he himself had committed very many Isle-based crimes. “And all the petty criminals who shouldn’t have been banished in the first place.  I’ll take all of them into Sardinia if I have to, though the council will likely want to redistribute refugees since they don’t really know what happened while I was there.”</p>
<p>“They might be afraid you built up an army,” Carlos summarized. “And you did just that.”</p>
<p>“Gotta do what’s necessary to survive,” Chad said with a shrug. “We all know that.”     </p>
<p>“And… us,” Mal snapped. “What about <em>us</em>?  Our <em>association</em> or whatever the fuck you call it with Gil?”</p>
<p>“Well…” Chad maintained his composure, even as he noticed the limo pull off the main road and redirect to Auradon Castle, just where he needed it to be. “I know I’m not what I said I was, but I’m invested, if you’d still be willing to have me.  I frankly don’t give a shit about Auradon expectations anymore.”  They were bogus anyway. “Figured we could pave the way for polygamous relationships, though the council will probably only let me marry two of you.  I was thinking Evie and Gil, if you felt inclined, but we’d all still be together.” He paused, grateful that he hadn’t decided to remove his mask yet, for all that he was laying it out logically, he knew he was putting his heart on the table. “But only if you guys want.”</p>
<p>“You could have anyone,” Mal said. “You’re a prince.  You’re Cinderella’s <em>son-</em>”</p>
<p>“Just Ella, please,” Chad murmured. “The ‘cinder’ part was an abusive nickname.”</p>
<p>“…is that why you spared Anthony?” Carlos asked. “Since you’re cousins?  And why you dote on Dizzy?”</p>
<p>“She’s going to be a princess if I have anything to say about it.” And Chad would, because his grandfather was going to be dead soon, and Chad was known for doing the ‘nice’ thing anyway. “Anthony can be a prince, but I swear if he tries to kill me again he <em>will </em>be permanently dealt with.”</p>
<p>“Fuck.” Jay rubbed a hand across his face. “You’re a bloodthirsty, super sexy Auradon prince.  <em>Fuck</em>.  Of course you were.  We all had running bets because you came out of <em>nowhere-</em>”</p>
<p>“I probably would have avoided the whole Isle revolution altogether if I hadn’t spotted Gil getting mugged,” Chad admitted. “But even from a distance, I liked that guy.”</p>
<p>“We know,” Mal groaned. “Jay only complains about it <em>all</em> the time.”</p>
<p>“Me?” Jay flushed. “It’s not just me<em>-</em>”</p>
<p>“To refocus,” Chad said, because they were getting short on time. “Do you four accept my proposition?”</p>
<p>“To be in a hot, steamy relationship with a prince?” Mal asked. “Yeah, sure.  Count me in.”</p>
<p>“Will we get to see your face now?” Evie asked. “Since I’m going to, you know, marry you.”</p>
<p>She said this last part with a flush, and Chad knew then and there that he was going to plan the most elaborate wedding proposal of all time just for her, so she could see that she was worth it.</p>
<p>“Yeah, of course.” Chad removed his hood slowly, pushing down his mask and pulling off his bandana to reveal his slightly wilted curls. “It’s not much to look at-”</p>
<p>“<em>Fuck</em>,” Jay simply repeated. “Of course you’re hot.  I knew you’d be hot.”</p>
<p>“I’m gonna kiss that,” Mal giggled to herself. “Without the stupid mask too.”</p>
<p>“I hate that thing so much now,” Carlos admitted. “For hiding you from us.”</p>
<p>“It was a <em>necessity</em>.” Chad flushed. “No one’s going to fear this face – I’m far too handsome.”</p>
<p>“Sure you’re not one of Gaston’s?” Mal asked, but she was grinning, still staring, pleased with her choice. “We are going to have a good time tonight.”</p>
<p>That was- okay.  Yes.  Chad should stop blushing now. “Just remember the story.  Four brave heroes, a multitude of <em>other</em> heroes back on the Isle, all fighting to do what’s right – we leave out the excessive murder to assert our authority bit.  Auradon people get squeamish about that kind of shit.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ugh</em>, so sexy,” Jay groaned, and Chad decided to let the guy chill in his misery for a bit.</p>
<p>“Does everyone else get the story?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah,” Carlos said, popping another candy into his mouth. “So if you’re a prince, does that mean you have a library?”</p>
<p>“My dear, you are going to get all the books you could possibly want and <em>then some</em>.” Chad grinned. “You are all going to get the life you deserve.”</p>
<p>“And I will be princess,” Evie said.</p>
<p>“And, one day, queen.”</p>
<p>“<em>Queen</em>,” she murmured with a certain reverence, all the dreams that had seemed unreachable suddenly within her grasp. “I like the sound of that.”</p>
<p>“Thought you would,” Chad said, and then they were pulling into the garage.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad got out of the car first, because if any of his grandfather’s men had managed to keep up with the relocation, he wanted to keep the others out of the line of fire.  The garages seemed secure though, Ben cleverly redirecting them to one of the smaller areas that could only be accessed by the royal family.  The prince was waiting for them when Chad got out of the car, King Adam and Queen Belle hovering behind him with Cogsworth and their captain of the guard.</p>
<p>“<em>Chad</em>.” Ben was on him in a moment, pulling him into a tight hug despite the fact that Chad probably didn’t smell all that great. “Chad- <em>fuck</em>, you’re here.  You’re not dead.  <em>Chad</em>.”</p>
<p>“Ben.” Chad returned the hold because he liked this dumb human, cared for him even to his own detriment, and Ben was just a lost puppy anyway, unaware of the world’s cruelties. “Sorry for the trouble-”</p>
<p>“No trouble at all if you’re not <em>dead</em>.” Ben shot back, murmuring into Chad’s gross hair.  He needed to not do that, but he didn’t seem to care. “What happened to you?  You’ve been gone a <em>year</em>.”</p>
<p>Didn’t Chad know it. “I don’t know,” he lied. “I fell unconscious on my fifteenth birthday and woke up on the Isle of the Lost.  The only reason I’m not dead is because Mal and the others helped me.” In his peripherals he saw the others slowly get out of the car, eying the scene with restrained looks of suspicion. “Ben, it’s <em>awful</em> over there – we have to do something to help them- the kids-” Chad let some genuine tears pool in his eyes, because Ben was weak to a certain kind of person, and that was one with a heart big enough for the whole world. “-the <em>kids</em>, Ben.  There’s barely enough food for them to survive.  They- <em>we-</em>” He motioned to the others. “Had to work together to stay alive amongst the- <em>villains</em>.  We have to-”</p>
<p>“Chad.” Ben was cradling his face now, one arm curled around Chad’s back like he was afraid he would disappear otherwise. “Chad, we’re going to help them, okay?  And we’re going to figure out who did this to you.”</p>
<p>“This is a very serious crime,” King Adam solemnly announced. “Very few would have access to the equipment necessary to transport you to the Isle.”</p>
<p>“Can you… look through your records?” Chad asked, wide eyed and innocent, despite knowing that whoever had done it wouldn’t have left any evidence behind. “Maybe see if anything was unaccounted for on my birthday?”</p>
<p>“We’ll do it,” Ben pledged, rubbing small circles on Chad’s cheek. “It was a good thing you had me redirect you here.” With what seemed to be reluctance, Ben turned to address the others. “You all will be safe here, okay?  We’re going to get to the bottom of this mess and then we’re going to finalize your Auradon citizenships-”</p>
<p>King Adam startled. “Ben-”</p>
<p>“They saved <em>Chad</em>,” Ben pressed, holding Chad close.  <em>Wow</em>, Chad really hadn’t thought they were this good of friends.  It was kind of a nice surprise. “That’s more than proved their worth.  Besides, they haven’t committed any actual crimes in Auradon, they deserve a fair shot.”</p>
<p>Mal blinked, seeming surprised, but recovered wonderfully. “Thank you, your um- princeliness.”</p>
<p>Chad was going to make fun of her for it later.  It was just too fucking cute. </p>
<p>As was Ben’s awkward laugh. “You’re welcome.  Um, Cogsworth,” He motioned to the Head of Household behind him, all the while still holding Chad.  “Could you show them to the royal guest quarters?”</p>
<p>“Of course, your highness.” Cogsworth dipped in a quick bow, though it was obvious that he hadn’t been expecting for the VKs to get more than the regular guest rooms.  The <em>royal</em> guest quarters were for visiting royalty, and as such, were close to Ben’s room.</p>
<p>“I should help them settle in-” Chad began to say, but got cut off with another hug.</p>
<p>“We need to get your statement first,” Ben murmured, tucking Chad close against his chest.  It was something he could really grow to like, but also shouldn’t, because Ben was just being the stupidly nice person he was. “Then you can help them?”</p>
<p>After a quick look to Mal, Chad nodded, wishing Ben’s shirt didn’t feel so soft against his cheek. “Okay.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Apparently it took being proclaimed dead for a year for Ben to instigate all the physical contact pre-teen Chad had only ever <em>dreamed</em> of.  He held Chad’s hand all the way to King Adam’s private office, navigating through secret passageways to keep Chad out of view. </p>
<p>“Your grandfather named a new heir to the Sardinian throne while you were gone,” Ben explained as he tugged Chad into the office. “A great nephew or something.  He’s prepping to take over soon.  Your father…” He frowned, distinctly unhappy. “He didn’t handle your loss well.”</p>
<p>Considering how little he’d interacted with Chad before he’d gone missing, Chad supposed that was somewhat of a consolation prize.</p>
<p>“I’ll contact him as soon as I can,” Queen Belle said. “After you give your statement.”</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.” Chad allowed some of his panic to slip into his tone. “We can’t call anyone until we figure out who in Sardinia is behind this.”</p>
<p>“Are you so sure it’s a Sardinian threat?” King Adam asked, motioning them into his office.  He’d already called for this chief inspector, a man by the name of Basil, who was waiting for them when they got there.</p>
<p>“I’ve had a lot of time to think it over,” Chad explained slowly. “It’s what makes the most sense.  Someone wanted me to perish but couldn’t <em>actually</em> get their hands dirty.  That must mean they’re high up in the Sardinian government.  Anyone else could have just hired someone to take me out here.” But this was personal – his grandfather had wanted Chad to <em>suffer</em>, so he’d stranded him instead. “It might-” He made a show of biting his lip, a deeply unhappy frown settled on his lips, prompting Ben to wrap an arm around his shoulders. “I- I hate to even <em>think</em> it, but-” He exhaled hard. “My grandfather… he always wanted me to do better, and I <em>tried</em> but it just never seemed to be enough for him.”</p>
<p>“You think he did this?” Ben asked, seeming honestly horrified.</p>
<p>Good, it was a horrifying notion.  </p>
<p>Chad ducked his head, as though overcome by an immense shame. “He’s the only one I can think that might have a personal motive.”</p>
<p>“I’ll have Inspector Basil look into it,” King Adam decided, the inspector nodding beside him. “Along with any other Sardinian officials that could have possibly gotten access to the Isle remotes.  We won’t announce your return until we can guarantee your safety.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, your majesty.” Chad bobbed his head in a quick bow. “And the others?”</p>
<p>“We’ll keep them here, too,” the king decided. “In case they’re targets for helping you, though I must ask…” A slight frown tugged at the king’s lips. “As much as I hate to second-guess anyone’s motives, are you positive these Isle children helped you out of the goodness of their hearts?”</p>
<p>“They must have,” Chad explained carefully. “I didn’t tell them who I was until we got into the limo.  Before that, I was just Volker.  Just some guy.”</p>
<p>“Not just <em>any</em> guy,” Ben said. “My reports had you listed as one of the leaders of the Isle.”</p>
<p>Chad allowed himself to blush. “Your reports were overstated.  I didn’t do <em>that</em> much just- I knew how to garden, and hunt, and basic medical treatments, it-” He let his expression shift into something pained. “They don’t have access to basic survival knowledge, Ben.  Stuff they <em>need</em> to know because they don’t have access to the same luxuries we do.  I taught them how to compost and how to make rope, how to sterilize and use medical supplies- they just don’t have anything.”</p>
<p>“We’ll fix that,” Ben said, so close and so <em>very</em> earnest.  It was an earnestness he turned on his parents. “They didn’t help Chad because he was a prince; they helped him because he was one of them, just struggling to get by.  Are you going to second guess that?”</p>
<p>“No,” the king shook his head. “Of course not, but it was a question that needed to be asked.”</p>
<p>“It’s not unfair,” Chad said, allowing himself to sniffle. “With only villains as an active influence, of course you’d expect them to be bad, but-” He turned back to Ben. “You know Gaston has a son?” Chad chose to ignore Trois and Junior’s existence. “His name’s Gil.  He’s really sweet and always smiles despite the fact that he’s got next to nothing.  And Gaston’s the <em>worst</em>, but LeFou-” He turned to Queen Belle. “His only crime was getting caught up in the heat of the moment, same as the other villagers, but he’s stuck on the Isle despite being kind and they’re not.” He rubbed at his eyes. “He’d sneak me eggs sometimes, even though Gaston would um- do unpleasant things to him if he found out.”</p>
<p>But now Gaston was dead, so Chad guessed he got his due.</p>
<p>“I’m not saying you don’t need the Isle, your majesties,” Chad said slowly. “But maybe you should separate people by the severity of the crime?  And don’t let their kids suffer.”</p>
<p>“…you’ve given me a lot to think about,” King Adam said eventually, as close to admitting a wrong as possible, but it wasn’t him Chad was trying to win over.</p>
<p>It was Ben, and Ben couldn’t hold him tighter if he tried.</p>
<p>“Please do,” Chad sniffed. “We need to get the kids off.  Did you know that I have <em>cousins</em>?”</p>
<p>“I might have seen that in the reports,” Ben said quietly, a small measure of guilt on his face.  He likely hadn’t expected Chad to care.  <em>Chad</em> hadn’t expected to care.  And yet, here he was.</p>
<p>“I wanna get the off.  They need to come home.”</p>
<p>“One thing at a time,” the king said, indicating the conversation was over. “First we’ll look into your assassination attempt, then we’ll move forward.”</p>
<p>“That’s all I ask,” Chad sniffed, and inside, he preened with victory.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Instead of being taken to where the others were staying, Ben dragged Chad right to his own bedroom, using the secret passages until they were released into Ben’s private study.</p>
<p>“I’ve got some of your old things,” he explained. “All the stuff that was in your dorm room when you were- were kidnapped.  I was going to ship it back to Sardinia but with everything that happened, I just-” He tugged Chad towards his lavish bathroom, turning to hug him one more time. “<em>Fuck</em>, Chad.  It was awful.  It was <em>awful</em>.  You were <em>dead</em> but no one knew anything.  Just- we had plans to get in some extra Tourney practice and then you were <em>dead.</em>”</p>
<p>“Not dead,” Chad murmured against the firm plane of Ben’s chest. “Gone, but still thinking of you.  It’s okay, Ben.”</p>
<p>“It’s <em>not</em> okay,” Ben snapped, and when he pulled back Chad could see tears in his eyes, could feel the prince’s hands tremble on his shoulder. “You were gone for a year, Chad.  Someone <em>stole</em> you and left you for dead for a <em>year</em> and I had no idea that my best friend was struggling to survive on the prison island my family created in the first place!  I mean.” He pulled away only to throw up his arms in frustration. “None of that is okay!  You could have <em>died!</em>”</p>
<p>“But I didn’t.” Chad didn’t really know what to do, now, hadn’t realized he was Ben’s <em>best friend</em>. “Ben, I’m here right now.”</p>
<p>“I know.” And Ben was hugging him again, ducking his head so he could nuzzle Chad’s curls. “I’m so terrified that you’ll disappear again if I let you out of my sight.  And here I am yelling at you when you’re probably exhausted.  It must have been horrible.”</p>
<p>Slowly, Chad let himself relax into the hold. “It wasn’t <em>all</em> terrible,” he muttered. “There was some good stuff.  Mal and the others are pretty funny.  And um- my cousin, Dizzy?  She’s like a little ray of sunshine.  I’m gonna fund her first fashion line when she gets out here and she’s gonna take over the world.  Same for Evie, I mean-” He pulled back, grinning. “Did you <em>see</em> what she made with just rags?  Think of what she could do with actual fabric.  And Mal’s an artist.  She can make art with anything – half-empty cans of paint, broken chalk, the stubs on pencils, she’s so brilliant, Ben.  And Carlos is an inventor – you give him a pile of garbage and he can jerry rig it into a generator.  He’s <em>amazing</em>.  And Jay- he tries to be cool but he’s actually a loser but he’s super acrobatic and fears <em>literally</em> nothing- and Gil!  Gil is like- if a golden retriever was a person, that’s Gil.  And then there’s Uma – she’s Ursula’s daughter – fiercest pirate captain in the world but she just wants to take care of her crew, take care of all the kids.  And there’s Harry who like, worships the ground Uma walks on, it’s adorable, but he’s all feisty and will sputter about it, but he could sail any boat you gave him, and he’s got a weird Scottish accent for some reason and that’s pretty cool.”</p>
<p>“…you really like them,” Ben said, a simple deduction that seemed to make him pleased to no end. “I’m glad you were able to find them, out there.  Glad they could help you when I couldn’t.”</p>
<p>“Do you think we can get them off?” Chad asked. “They can all come to Sardinia, if no other kingdoms are interested; I’ve had time to make up appropriate relief plans-”</p>
<p>“Of course you have,” Ben laughed, but it was a fond thing. “We’ll figure it out, Chad.  I promise.  I’m just-” He grinned. “I’m so happy you’re alive.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, me too,” Chad chirped, reveling in the inelegant guffaw it earned him.</p>
<p>There was a weird moment of silence after the laughter died down, and then Ben squeezed his shoulders once more. “I’ll um- let you get cleaned up, okay?  I’ll set out some of your old clothes for you.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Ben,” Chad said, and likely imagined the small flush that dusted those cheeks, because all he’d said was <em>thank you</em>, and even Ben wasn’t that big of a sap.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Predictably, Chad’s old clothes were a little big on his shoulders, and it felt weird to not have his face covered in any way after going a good year incognito.  Ben tried to tempt him into having dinner in his room, but Chad really needed to check on the others.  As a compromise, Ben sent him off with one of his stupidly soft cardigans (because Chad ‘looked cold’, the doof) after indulging in one last hug (that was just their new thing now, Chad guessed) before escorting him down to the guest rooms like a protective sentry and it was really just – too cute.</p>
<p>“Text if you need anything,” he said when they got to the door. “Or if you don’t.  Or-” He smacked his head. “Right, your grandfather could trace that.  I’ll get you a new phone – all of you phones.” It was kind of cute, how eager he was. “Come back to my room later?”</p>
<p>In the wake of such eagerness, how could Chad refuse?</p>
<p>“Okay.” He offered Ben a genuine smile. “I’ll see you later, slick.  Promise not to disappear in the meantime.”</p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>,” Ben urged, and then he stayed, waiting for Chad to be safely ensconced inside before considering leaving.</p>
<p><em>This guy</em>.</p>
<p>Chad was almost terrified at the prospect of him and Gil being in the same room.  Chad would die of adorableness overload.  </p>
<p>It seemed that the others had also made use of the showers while he’d been away – all of them congregated in what he assumed was Mal and Evie’s room.  The door to the bathroom was open, and he could see Evie lavishing in a bubble bath, Jay stretched out on some kind of chaise lounge beside her, trying to brush out his damp hair.  Chad moved to look for the others when Mal made her presence known to him, descending in a fine fury.  </p>
<p>“Why didn’t you tell us the prince was in love with you?” Mal snapped, pressing a hand against Chad’s chest.  Carlos was behind her, perched at the desk, sorting through an assortment of electronics Jay had likely stolen for him.</p>
<p>It was a very cute sight, but then Chad had to process what Mal said. “What?”</p>
<p>“Prince <em>Ben</em>,” Mal said his name like an insult, rolling her eyes. “That guy was all over you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s just Ben<em>,</em>” Chad tried to explain, though he was interrupted by Evie.</p>
<p>“Is he back?” the princess called. “Argue in here if you’re going to lay into him.”</p>
<p>“<em>Fine</em>,” Mal muttered, grabbing Chad’s wrist and dragging him into the bathroom, Carlos following a beat behind them.  On closer inspection, it seemed that Jay was wearing a blue silk robe and nothing else, which would have been suitably distracting if Mal hadn’t started up again. “You don’t think that was information we needed to know?”</p>
<p>“Information that Ben’s a hugger?” Chad asked. “Look, I honestly didn’t think we were that good of friends.  I was pretty happy that he’d rerouted the car for us, that was the most I had expected him to do for me.”</p>
<p>“Are you <em>kidding</em> me?” Mal turned to share a look with the others that Chad didn’t really get. “He’s serious.  You’re serious.”</p>
<p>“…yes?” Chad tried not to think about it too hard, because he had an old crush on Ben that flared up from time to time (because the asshole was so damn <em>charming</em>) and he really didn’t want to stray into that territory right now. “I’m sorry, Mal.  I tried to give you the information I’d considered most vital-”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t know,” Jay said, a hint of wonder in his tone.</p>
<p>Chad sighed. “I don’t know what?”</p>
<p>“That Ben’s in love with you?” Carlos offered from his perch beside the tub. “Kind of hard to miss, dude.”</p>
<p>“Thought the good ‘ole king was gonna strangle you,” Mal murmured, making a show of inspecting her nails. “He wasn’t too happy about your return.”</p>
<p>Okay, what?</p>
<p>“Ben’s not- that’s just <em>Ben</em>.” Chad had no idea how else to put this. “He’s nice to literally everyone.  He only reacted that way because he thought I was dead for the past year.  Trust me, enough time will pass-”</p>
<p>“And then he’ll propose?” Mal finished, raising one challenging brow. “‘Cuz he looked like he wanted to do that outside the car.  Kind of surprised he didn’t make out with you then and there.”</p>
<p>“Okay, you’re wrong,” Chad declared, because sometimes he needed to do that so they could move on. “Trust me.”</p>
<p>“I think you should trust <em>us</em>,” Evie said quietly, a picture of composure that did little to hide the quiet threat. “He wants you.  I believe that you don’t realize that, but he wants you.”</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Chad allowed, because he respected them enough to believe their opinions. “But once he gets to know me again, he won’t.  If he’s in love with anything, it’s an <em>idea</em> of me.”</p>
<p>“Well, I think we should use this to our advantage,” Mal declared. “You were already doing a good job of it, getting all puppy eyed on him.”</p>
<p>“Aw, <em>man</em>,” Jay groaned, one hand sliding down his chest to fondle himself.</p>
<p>Chad felt his pulse spike.</p>
<p>“Not <em>now</em>,” Mal snapped, motioning for Carlos to smack him on the back of the head, who did so reluctantly. “Later.  We need to focus.”</p>
<p>“If he asks you to marry him, you should say yes,” Evie said quietly, making an effort to not really look at any of them.</p>
<p>“No way.” Chad had already as good as promised Evie his hand in marriage, and he wasn’t taking that back for anything. “If he wants to marry me, he’s going to have to take both of us.” Evie flushed, likely having not considered the possibility. “And only if that’s good with you, I mean-” Chad sighed. “I’m not giving you up, so he’ll have to be okay with that.”</p>
<p>“Seriously, Mal?” Jay whined, likely objecting to the idea that he couldn’t touch himself yet.</p>
<p>“Seriously, <em>Jay</em>,” Mal huffed, rolling her eyes. “We get it, we all get hot when Volker’s charming, but keep your hands to yourself for like <em>five seconds</em>.”</p>
<p>Before Chad could think of a way to reply to that, Evie spoke up, “I’m… I’m okay with that.  With being queen for both of you, I mean.”</p>
<p>“You’re already a queen,” Chad reminded her. “Or, you will be.  You don’t need us to get by.”</p>
<p>“Damn straight, you don’t,” Mal muttered, crossing her arms with a smirk.</p>
<p>“I’ll consider it more of a perk.” Evie grinned at him, a truly radiant thing. “When will you see him next?”</p>
<p>“Ben?” Right, who else would they be talking about. “He asked me to come back to his room after dinner.”</p>
<p>“And you thought he didn’t like you.” Mal rolled her eyes again. “You can be so thick sometimes.”</p>
<p>“<em>Excuse</em> you?”</p>
<p>“It took him forever to figure out Harry wanted him,” Carlos muttered, mostly to himself. “Despite the fact that the guy was like, <em>throwing</em> himself at him.”</p>
<p>“Harry is Uma’s-”</p>
<p>“And Uma likes you,” Evie said. “Which just proves how charming you are.”</p>
<p>“Even mostly hidden and vicious as <em>fuck</em>,” Mal purred. “Our bloodthirsty leader.  Brutal yet thoughtful.”</p>
<p>“Oh man,” Carlos sighed. “That dumb mask must have covered up every time you blushed.  We’ve been missing out.”</p>
<p>Chad ducked his head, as though this could hide the way he was affected. “Quiet, you fools.”</p>
<p>“Never,” Mal declared. “Now that we’ve got that settled, go ahead and ravish Jay.  We all know you want to.”</p>
<p>“Me?” Jay asked, eyes going wide as Chad crawled over to him, eagerly reaching for the silk ties of his robe.</p>
<p>“As though you weren’t waiting for him,” Evie huffed. “Splayed on that lounge wrapped up all pretty.”</p>
<p>Jay flushed; it was a very lovely thing. “You um- don’t have to watch-” He stammered as Chad pushed his robe open, revealing a firm interest that Chad was definitely going to spend time pleasuring.</p>
<p>“No, but we <em>get</em> to,” Mal murmured, settling in next to Carlos. “Volker?”</p>
<p>“Hello, precious,” Chad urged, then kisses his way down Jay’s chest, determined to pay him back for all the blowjobs Jay had so eagerly given him.</p>
<p>“Huh, thoughtful <em>and</em> generous,” Mal drawled, and then they all fell silent to listen to the sound of Jay’s moans, the thief’s legs twitching wide as he fell into incoherence.</p>
<p>Definitely not the worst debriefing he’d had.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>By the time dinner rolled around Jay was thoroughly spent, Carlos was a boneless mess in Mal’s lap, and Chad had made out with all of them, reveling in their different levels of expertise and enthusiasm.  It took a bit of magic from Mal to make Chad look any kind of presentable when he returned to Ben’s room, feeling more relaxed than he had in months – happy, sated, and full.</p>
<p>“Hey, Chad.” Ben grinned up from where he had been working at his desk, seeming to brighten at Chad’s appearance. “Are they doing okay?”</p>
<p>“They’re definitely appreciating their accommodations, make no joke about that,” Chad said, cutting off halfway with a yawn.  “Sorry.” He flushed. “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to eat that much, or feel this clean.”</p>
<p>And safe and happy.</p>
<p>Ben’s expression dimmed ever so slightly. “Don’t apologize, it’s completely understandable.  I was thinking of calling it an early night anyway.” He tucked away a few papers and shut down his laptop, motioning Chad over towards his bed. “I was thinking you could join me?  If you want,” he rushed to add. “I just- I’m glad you’re here.”</p>
<p>If Mal hadn’t pointed it out, Chad would have likely missed the slight hint of <em>want</em> in Ben’s eyes, even as it was he found himself fighting to believe her because Chad had spent so long thinking that Ben and anything Ben-related was impossible.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Chad nodded slowly, hoping the shadows hid the blush spreading across his cheeks. “I’d like that.”</p>
<p>“Just like old times,” Ben joked, as though those old times hadn’t been put to a stop because of their parents, worrying that they were getting too close to be considered <em>princely</em>.</p>
<p>He used a remote on his nightstand to switch off most of the lights, urging Chad into the center of the bed before following after him.  With that, he clicked the last lamp out, leaving them bathed in only the light of the moon.</p>
<p>“I-” Ben seemed to struggle with himself, then sighed. “I’m glad you’re back, Chad.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad I’m back too,” Chad murmured. “I’m glad I got to see you again.”</p>
<p>For all his confidence, he’d never really thought he would.  He’d never had a whole lot of hope for getting off the Isle, as much as he’d bluffed otherwise.</p>
<p>“Me too, Chad,” Ben whispered. “Me too.”</p>
<p>And the fool even <em>meant</em> it.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad woke to find himself curled into Ben’s chest, the other’s long arm wrapped around his waist and their legs tangled together, as though they’d searched each other out in the middle of the night.  Chad flushed at the predicament, hating his subconscious need for comfort, and tried to carefully pull away, though even in his sleep Ben stubbornly held on.</p>
<p>After a few unsuccessful attempts, Chad resigned himself to waiting on Ben and tried to settle back into sleep, at the very least faking it so the other prince could try to untangle himself when he woke up.  It was maybe thirty minutes before he felt the crown prince shift away, his arm curling against Chad’s lower back as he resettled.</p>
<p>“Oh, good,” Ben whispered, seeming mostly out of it.  He’d always been a heavy sleeper. “Not a dream.” He rubbed careful circles on Chad’s back, ducking his head down to press a kiss against his hair. “Love you.”</p>
<p>Well, that answered <em>that</em> question, then.</p>
<p>Chad didn’t dare move, didn’t dare <em>breathe</em> until Ben seemed slightly more coherent, and then he began to process of organically ‘waking up’.</p>
<p>“Wow,” Chad grumbled, rubbing at his eyes as he pulled away with an easy stretch. “Haven’t slept that good since- yeah.”  Chad had thought transitioning from the squeaky mattress at Bargain Castle back to a bed fit for royalty would have been harder on him, but his body had taken to it like a duck to water, or maybe that was just Ben’s close presence and the awareness that he wouldn’t have to worry about his survival or reputation every moment of every day.</p>
<p>“Happy to help,” Ben said, giving him a goofy smile that bordered on adoring if Chad was being generous. “Are you sore?”</p>
<p>“A little.” Chad rolled his shoulders carefully, though the constant aches and pains of running the Isle were something he had long become accustomed to. “But that’ll settle in a few days.”</p>
<p>“Want some help?” Ben asked. “I’m pretty good at shoulder rubs.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you um- have school to go to?” Chad asked as Ben repositioned himself, settling behind Chad.</p>
<p>“Fairy Godmother excused me for state business,” Ben replied, laying his hand on Chad’s shoulders.  They were still <em>in bed</em>. “And then it’s the weekend.  We want to try and clear up as much of the political red tape for you as quickly as possible.”</p>
<p>“Thought you had people for that,” Chad offered conversationally, forcing himself to remain calm when Ben began to knead little circles into the tense muscles of his shoulders.  <em>Fuck</em>, he actually hadn’t been lying about being good.</p>
<p>“We do for the bulk of it, but there’s going to be some emergency council meetings – a lot of them, and with coronation soon-”</p>
<p>“Right.” Chad nodded, tried not to shudder when Ben worked against a particularly sore spot. “It makes sense for you to be there.”</p>
<p>“I also wanted to spend more time with you,” Ben offered out casually, because he was an earnest <em>fool</em>. “Just- how did you <em>survive</em>, <em>Chad</em>?  And why ‘Volker’?”</p>
<p>“Um-” Chad flushed when Ben’s fingers grazed against his neck. “It means-”</p>
<p>“‘People’s guard’,” Ben finished, sounding almost- reverent. “It’s Hanoven.”</p>
<p>“Aunt Snow was fond of the name,” Chad murmured. “It seemed appropriate.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Ben agreed with a sigh. “Protecting the people of the Isle when we couldn’t.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ben-</em>”</p>
<p>“We failed them,” Ben said it with a certainty that wouldn’t be denied. “But you – despite being trapped there, you did well for them.  Taught them how to survive.  Which – <em>of course</em>, you would-”</p>
<p>“Don’t say that.” Chad flushed, because Ben was really giving Chad more credit than he was due. “We both know I almost failed survival training in scouts-”</p>
<p>“Yeah, because you were so determined to pick up every last bit of knowledge you could get your hands on that you wouldn’t complete the basic outlines.” He hadn’t realized Ben had picked up on it, but by his fond tone the other prince had not only realized this, but admired Chad for it. “You’re the one who spent extra weeks training with the Huntsmen.” Who were ludicrously hardcore and Chad had never been more terrified (before the Isle) while simultaneously complete. “Bet whoever stranded you on the Isle didn’t bank on that.”</p>
<p>No, his grandfather hadn’t, because Chad had disguised that training trip as a political excursion, leaving the impression he was sweet talking Queen Snow so she could potentially leave the Hanover crown – which was right <em>next</em> to Sardinia – to Chad. </p>
<p>This was an effort both of them knew was futile, which was why his grandfather hadn’t cared, and in the meantime Chad brushed up on his dwarvish and learned dual-axe combat and bow proficiency. </p>
<p>“Probably not,” Chad agreed, then shuddered because Ben was scratching at his scalp, tracing small patterns that left Chad boneless. “<em>Ben</em>.”</p>
<p>“Glad to see you still like that.” There was a smirk in Ben’s voice as he continued his assault, until Chad was almost slumped against him, whining and very <em>aware</em> of a certain interest growing between his legs.</p>
<p>“Cheater,” Chad made himself mutter, bringing his leg up to hide his affliction. “I should return the favor.”</p>
<p>“You could,” Ben agreed, so lightly that Chad’s frozen heart threatened to burst, because <em>what the hell</em>.</p>
<p>The strange tension that settled over them was thankfully ended by an ominous <em>rumble</em> of Chad’s stomach, and then he blushed for an entirely different reason.</p>
<p>“Maybe after we have breakfast, though,” Ben laughed. “Would you like the shower first?”</p>
<p>“Yes, please.” Chad forced himself to slide off the bed, running a hand through his hair as though to settle his wayward curls when really he wanted those taunting tingles to <em>leave him alone</em>.</p>
<p>“Go for it,” Ben said, getting off the bed with similar reluctance. “Could I join you and the others for breakfast?”</p>
<p>“I um- think we’d all be honored,” Chad managed to reply, and then he beat a hasty retreated because the entirety of that exchange was just unfair.  What even.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Breakfast with Ben and the others was eventful.</p>
<p>Mostly because it started with Chad trying to explain the intricacies of oatmeal – the order in which the milk, berries, and sugar were added (to Mal’s mostly amused looks, Carlos skipping the middle man and just eating the brown sugar straight from the bowel) before taking a demonstrative bite and immediately spitting it out.</p>
<p>“Okay, don’t eat that,” he said, swishing his mouth out with water before spitting that out too. “That’s poisoned.”</p>
<p>“<em>What?</em>” Ben reacted with the level of chill Chad expected from him, which was none, staring at his oatmeal in horror.</p>
<p>“Figures,” Mal grumbled, pushing away her bowl.</p>
<p>Carlos eyed his toppings and then continued eating his sugar, which- fair.</p>
<p>“Wormroot,” Chad explained, wiping his tongue off with his napkin. “Auradon local – mostly flavorless.”</p>
<p>“Mostly- were you <em>poisoned</em>?” Ben was already on his feet, phone in hand. “I’ll call a doctor.”</p>
<p>“Forget that, focus on the inspector.  What was it- Basil?” This just figured. “We need to narrow down which servants knew we were here and who had access to the food.”</p>
<p>“You just had <em>poison</em>,” Ben shot back, not handling this nearly as well as Chad.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but he’s immune to those,” Carlos explained.  He, at least, was practical, snacking on his berries once he finished the sugar. “To most of those?”</p>
<p>“Huntsmen training,” Chad explained. “I’m <em>fine</em>, Ben, but someone tried to poison us.  We need to figure out who.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Ben nodded, his gaze getting a little more settled. “Hold on, I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>“…<em>aw</em>, he’s so cute,” Mal drawled, picking at her own bowl of berries. “Little soft, but still cute.”</p>
<p>“Don’t hold it too much against the guy; he has parents who love him.” Which was great for Ben, but less great for becoming unflappable. “They must not have known he was joining us or they would have waited.”</p>
<p>“<em>Someone</em> was trying to strike fast,” Mal decided. “The question is do they know about you, or are they just after villain kids specifically?”</p>
<p>“It’s probably the first option,” Evie said. “Unfortunately.  Maybe with the added bonus of killing us too.”</p>
<p>“Yay, Auradon,” Jay drawled, pushing his bowl of oatmeal away with a frown. “Is the rest of this stuff poisoned too?”</p>
<p>“Think it’s just the oatmeal,” Chad said. “Wormroot works best in large concentrations, so they were banking on us finishing the bowls.” He grabbed up a piece of toast and nibbled on it. “Toast is clear.”</p>
<p>“Fine.” Mal rolled her eyes. “Toast it is.”</p>
<p>“‘Least it’s not moldy,” Carlos offered, ignoring the unimpressed look Mal shot him in response.</p>
<p>When Ben returned it was with the Inspector and some kind of forensic assistant, who immediately started collecting the oatmeal and remaining food items as evidence.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, guys.” It helped that Ben seemed legitimately heartbroken about the entire affair. “I know this sets a horrible first impression, but I promise security here is going to be doubled-”</p>
<p>“You also promised we’d be safe,” Mal pointed out, raising one fine brow. “Almost being poisoned doesn’t constitute as <em>‘safe’</em>.”</p>
<p>“I know.” And Ben looked anguished by this.  “Look, we’ll let it be known that I’m going to spend all my meals with you for now on, and that they’ll only be served family style.  That way if anyone wants to get to you-”</p>
<p>“They have a shot at poisoning the crown prince of Auradon,” Chad completed. “Ben, that’s ludicrous.  Just get us like, prepackaged food or something.  I was probably the intended target anyway.”</p>
<p>“No.” Ben shook his head, forever stubborn. “You guys deserve better, and one way or another I’m going to give that to you.” He finished this statement by staring hard at Chad, as though it was intended for him specifically, and maybe it was. “Come on, why don’t we all hang out in my room?”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Mal allowed, the others seeming somewhat baffled, and they relocated while the investigators got to work reviewing assassination attempt number one.    </p>
<p> -:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>As Chad predicted, Evie and Carlos caught one look at Ben’s private library and immediately fell in love, each claiming a small stack of books before curling next to each other on a couch and forgetting the rest of the world.  Ben motioned Mal over to a selection of art materials he’d had delivered that morning (Chad had literally spoken to him about that <em>yesterday</em>) and despite a mighty side-eye, Mal deigned to break them in, setting up shop on Ben’s window seat and sketching a view of the gardens.  For Jay’s entertainment, Ben introduced him to Tourney, putting a game on the television and explaining the rules as it went on.  When he caught sight of Jay’s fidgeting, he handed the thief a small puzzle box that immediately appealed to Jay’s competitive spirit, his brows furrowed in concentration as he pledged to complete it while simultaneously keeping track of the game.</p>
<p>It was nice, seeing them get to relax, to not have to worry about gardening or training or gathering supplies – to see them get a chance to just <em>be</em> for a bit, the life they should have, and Chad adored it a lot. </p>
<p>He spent his afternoon working with Ben at his desk, reviewing reports and pulling up appropriate legal texts to support the upcoming Isle proposals.  Cogsworth personally delivered their second shot at breakfast, prepackaged sandwiches from a local establishment, and Chad took a bite of each of them before clearing them for proper consumption, all while Ben anxiously looked on. </p>
<p>“Sorry,” he murmured, taking the chance to hold Chad’s hand anytime their fingers touched. “I’m so sorry, Chad.  Even <em>here-</em>”</p>
<p>“Not your fault, Ben,” Chad would always assure him, squeezing that firm shoulder and trying to ignore Mal’s knowing looks. “Just goes to show that bad people can come from anywhere.”</p>
<p>“But I almost lost you again.” And that seemed to pain Ben to his very core, because he was so very nice and maybe he did love Chad, but that didn’t mean he was <em>in love</em> with Chad.  He would have made some kind of move by now, right? “If you hadn’t recognized the poison-”</p>
<p>“Fortunately, I’m very talented.” And had suffered through many attempted poisonings in his lifetime.  Honestly, it was like his grandfather was getting sloppy.  Maybe he’d hired out an assassin, hadn’t bothered to fully debrief him on all of Chad’s strengths. “And trust me, Ben, you’ll get sick of me soon enough.”</p>
<p>“Don’t think I will.” And from Ben, it was a sort of pledge.</p>
<p>A pledge Chad wanted to believe, though he’d raised himself to know better. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Alternate Ending – Ben Breaks up with Audrey</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>Still a part of the alternate ending above, though this scene takes place sometime after the first assassination attempt, maybe later that day.  </em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad only caught the conversation by chance.</p>
<p>He’d been strolling through the secret passage ways of the castle, getting updates from Inspector Basil’s personal computer when he’d heard Ben’s voice carrying through the study.  Instead of his usual projection of calm deliberation, he seemed uncertain, maybe, or less sure at least, which was what made Chad peek in on him in the first place.  He wasn’t surprised to see Ben on the phone, but after a few seconds of listening, he <em>was</em> surprised who he was talking to.</p>
<p>“I know, Audrey,” Ben sighed, looking legitimately apologetic. “I know this isn’t fair to you, that I should be doing this in person, but things have been hectic here and my parents need-” A pause. “No, this isn’t about the transfer students, this is about <em>us</em>.” Another pause, as though Audrey – confident, cutthroat Audrey – was responding. “I can’t be with you, anymore.  I can’t say why-”</p>
<p>Ben had- Ben and <em>Audrey</em>?  Granted, Chad was not entirely surprised.  Audrey had known Ben as long as Chad had, and was a person who knew what she wanted in life.  If she wanted to be queen of Auradon, she could sweet talk her way into a relationship with Ben, and Ben would be kind enough to humor her, and likely not strong enough to break it off – except now he apparently was.</p>
<p>“Things change,” Ben was saying. “I can’t in good conscious date you anymore, Audrey, and deep down-” More anger on her part. “Audrey, you’re not in <em>love</em> with me.  We’re friends, we’re <em>good</em> friends, but that’s all- yes, I’m sure.”</p>
<p>Oh.  Wow.  Ben was breaking up with his girlfriend of who knew how long (at most a year, Chad guessed) because of-</p>
<p>Best not to extrapolate without the full story.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry I couldn’t do this in person,” Ben said. “But I’m not sorry to break up with- Audrey, <em>please</em>.” A pause, and then he let the phone drop with a frustrated sigh, the princess of Auroria likely not taking the news nearly as well as he’d hoped.  That was Audrey for him, lucky that he was getting out of a relationship with her <em>now</em> instead of, say, at the altar. </p>
<p>Chad stepped back from the opening as quickly as he’d come, knowing he needed to pass the news on to the others.  At the very least, it would provide some gossip to break up the monotony of waiting for the next assassin. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Alternate Ending – Group Cuddle Times</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>As a natural progression of Ben’s adoration, I’d planned for Ben to get Chad to sleep in his bed the entire stay at Auradon Castle.  Of course, Mal only allows this for a brief period of time before the Core 4 gets in on things.  What follows is their first time all cuddling together</em>.</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>Chad and Ben got about two nights of peace before Mal lost her patience and marched into the room like she owned the joint, the others lingering on her heels with varying expressions of nervousness.</p>
<p>Ben, <em>ever</em> attentive, didn’t realize they were there until Mal was crawling into bed with them; bracketing Chad’s other side with a challenging look. “Learn to share,” she muttered before Ben could try to form some kind of objection. “We also love Volker.”</p>
<p>“<em>Aw</em>, Mal.” Chad forced himself to grin, because she’d been joking, that was a joke, friends said these things. “I love you too.”</p>
<p>“Shut up,” she grumbled, burying herself under the covers and motioning for Jay to follow after her. “Feelings are dumb.”</p>
<p>“Um.” Ben looked slightly worried when Evie and Carlos slid into the other side of bed Ben, but Chad just offered his best comforting smile, because at least they were really good looking?</p>
<p>“We did this,” Chad explained. “Um- slept together.”</p>
<p>“Easier to watch each other’s backs.” Mal emphasized this by literally draping herself against Chad’s spine, graciously allowing Jay to spoon her as though it wasn’t exactly where she wanted him to be. “You want to keep hogging him, you’re gonna have to deal with the rest of us.”</p>
<p>“Hope you don’t mind,” Evie added, tone sweet as honey.</p>
<p>Ben blinked, readjusted. “No, of course I don’t mind.  You guys took care of Chad.” There was a beat. “Do you have any stories about him?”</p>
<p>The crafty <em>shit</em>.</p>
<p>Mal immediately perked up. “You should see the way he takes Jay apart with compliments.”</p>
<p>“<em>Mal</em>,” Jay groaned, burying his face between her shoulders. “Shut <em>up</em>.”</p>
<p>“No.” She smirked. “This is a-” She paused. “Wait, this is a safe space, right?  We can call it a safe space?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chad decided, terribly aware of Ben’s confusion. “This is a safe space.”</p>
<p>“Volker taught us about those,” Carlos explained. “What happens here doesn’t affect out there.”</p>
<p>“Out there?” Ben echoed.</p>
<p>“Out on the Isle,” Mal explained with a huff. “You’ve got to maintain a certain reputation if you don’t want to be seen as a target.  But, you know, not everyone can be tough <em>all</em> the time.”</p>
<p>“Sometimes we need compliments,” Evie chirped, causing Jay to groan all over again. “You know, nice things.”</p>
<p>“…that’s fair,” Ben said after a pause. “Do you- was Chad the first one to- compliment you?”</p>
<p>Chad didn’t imagine the sudden tension in the air, cursing Ben’s stubborn plight to get to know these people.</p>
<p>“Of course I’ve gotten compliments,” Mal snapped. “But those were all for being ruthless and tough and mean.  Volker’s were for being smart and resourceful and- kind.”</p>
<p>“And pretty,” Jay murmured, almost too quiet to be heard.</p>
<p>“For being clever,” Evie said quietly. “For being more than what our parents wanted us to be.”</p>
<p>“Resilient,” Carlos added. “And strong.”</p>
<p>“You guys are all those things,” Chad said carefully. “I was just pointing out the obvious.”</p>
<p>“Well…” Mal hugged him tighter. “You were the first one to do that.”</p>
<p>Evie shifted. “And we never got to return the favor.”</p>
<p>This startled Ben. “You didn’t?”</p>
<p>“I was in <em>disguise</em> for a year, Ben,” Chad sighed. “There wasn’t a lot for them to see.”</p>
<p>“And he had to keep himself at a distance,” Mal said. “Since he was the leader.”</p>
<p>Chad could <em>feel</em> Ben’s grin. “A leader, huh?”</p>
<p>“Shut up, smarmy,” Chad grumbled. “I just taught them stuff.”</p>
<p>“Good stuff,” Carlos said. “Like food storage and distribution.”</p>
<p>“Healing,” Evie added.</p>
<p>Jay shifted. “Group battle tactics.”</p>
<p>Mal was less eloquent. “All that jazz.”</p>
<p>“Battle tactics?” Ben echoed, taking it back a bit.</p>
<p>Jay tensed, but Ben wouldn’t have seen it, which kept Chad calm when he explained, “The Isle acts on a sort of gang system.  There’s a lot of independent operators, but to survive it’s best to be part of a group, and sometimes those groups would attack us.”</p>
<p>“But Chad taught us how to fight back,” Mal said. “And how to set traps to protect our bases.”</p>
<p>“Sexy, sexy traps,” Jay murmured, somewhat reverent.</p>
<p>Ben chuckled. “I’m glad you guys found each other.”</p>
<p>“If anything, we should be thanking Gil,” Carlos noted. “He’s the one that pulled Volker from the shadows.”</p>
<p>“Yes, we’re all in blondie’s debt,” Mal sighed.</p>
<p>In the shadows, Chad saw Evie prop herself up on her elbow. “If we’re off the Isle <em>and</em> we’re in a safe space…”</p>
<p>“<em>Evie</em>,” Chad groaned.</p>
<p>“No.” She waved him off. “You should get compliments too, you’re the reason we were able to survive so well.”</p>
<p>“I like this plan,” Mal cackled. “And we could talk about how handsome you are, but since we didn’t find that out until recently, I’d like to start off with how fucking <em>sexy</em> it is when you walk into a fight and incapacitate everyone without getting a single scratch.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Carlos perked up. “Or um- when you were teaching LeFou how to treat that long scratch that required stitches?  That was cool.  You were so focused.”</p>
<p>“He always gets like that,” Evie said. “Someone throws what seems like an impossible problem before us and in about ten minutes you not only have a solution, but a way to make things even better than before.  You’re scrappy.”</p>
<p>“And caring,” Jay said, voice quiet. “You always said you did things for your own benefit, but you never had any ill will against an Isle kid unless they tried to kill you.  That was strange, at first.  But nice.”</p>
<p>“So <em>nice</em>,” Mal pressed. “It was weird to see someone so capable also be so kind, but you always made time for us.”</p>
<p>“You’re my <em>team</em>,” Chad groaned, hating to be the centralized focus of this group. “Of course I made time for you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you didn’t <em>have</em> to,” Evie said. “You didn’t have to give us rewards and petnames.”</p>
<p>That time, Chad <em>felt</em> Ben blush. “Petnames?”</p>
<p>“They’re just for us,” Mal boasted. “We each got one.”</p>
<p>“Because we’re special,” Carlos added. “Though mine’s stupid.”</p>
<p>“No it isn’t, Baby,” Chad said, nice and gentle, and he could see Carlos shudder on the far side of the bed.</p>
<p>“No fair.” Mal swiped at his head. “Me next.”</p>
<p>“Patience, Bruiser,” Chad grinned, smile only going wider at her annoyed huff.</p>
<p>“I’m <em>L</em><em>ovely</em>,” Evie bragged, sounding as endlessly thrilled as she always did. “And Jay-”</p>
<p>“<em>Guys</em>,” Jay protested.</p>
<p>“This is a safe space,” Mal reminded him with a huff.</p>
<p>“He’s <em>P</em><em>recious</em>,” Carlos said, and just like any other time one of them used Jay’s pet name, the thief shivered, swallowing down a whine.</p>
<p>“Oh… wow,” Ben breathed, fingers trailing against Chad’s arm. “If um- if I got a nickname-”</p>
<p>“Sunshine,” Chad said without hesitation, almost embarrassed by how quickly the name came to him, but he could see Ben’s smile and how could he think of anything less?</p>
<p>Seriously, he and Gil never needed to meet.  It would be torture on Chad.</p>
<p>“Sunshine,” Evie echoed. “Yeah, that’s really nice, Volker.”</p>
<p>“We should give you a nickname,” Mal warned. “Since we’re off the Isle.”</p>
<p>“I already have one,” Chad said, trying to keep himself from burrowing into Ben’s chest. “My mom gave it to me.  It’s Kit.”</p>
<p>“Kit,” Ben echoed the word with reverence. “It’s perfect.”</p>
<p>“He’s perfect,” Mal corrected. “So that’s no less than he deserves.”</p>
<p>“You <em>guys</em>,” Chad groaned.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Mal breathed. “All the cuddles.  All the embarrassment.  The mighty Volker is susceptible to compliments.”</p>
<p>“Then again,” Ben mused. “Aren’t we all?”</p>
<p>And he wasn’t wrong.  </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Alternate Ending – Love Confessions</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>So at some point, I had Chad coming clean to Ben about how he really survived the Isle.  The other teen’s response is to stubbornly love him.  Which- classic Ben ;)</em></p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Love you,” Ben said, smile dopey and wide as he pressed urgent kisses to Chad’s lips, boxing him in against the bed. “Love you so much.”</p>
<p>“Ben-” Chad gasped between breaths. “Ben, I-” He had to force himself to push on Ben’s chest, to pull his head back and get some space. “Ben, I’m not the same as I was before.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Ben said, but he didn’t really <em>know</em>, and that was the frustrating part.</p>
<p>“No, I-” And Chad realized he had to tell him, despite all the wicked things he’d done he couldn’t live with Ben’s perpetual admiration, not when it was so unjustly earned. “I did things on the Isle, Ben.  <em>Wicked</em> things.”</p>
<p>“You did what you had to in order to survive,” Ben said, ever practical, rubbing careful circles on Chad’s abdomen.</p>
<p>“They all did, Ben, but I-” Chad frowned, felt a long-neglected heat build behind his eyes. “I’m <em>vicious</em>, Ben.  I’m mean and cutthroat and cruel, and I- I killed a lot of people because I was terrified if I didn’t they’d come after what little I had.  So I was proactive.  I fought hard and painted walls with blood so no one would realize it was just some weak kid from Auradon hiding underneath it all.”</p>
<p>“…Chad.”</p>
<p>“So <em>don’t-</em>” Chad flinched, because Ben’s voice was so soft and understanding, and he wasn’t melting away with disgust. “You shouldn’t love me, Ben.  I’m not- whatever you think I am.  <em>Evie</em> is.” He found himself grapping for Ben’s shirt, if only to impress upon him the importance of this knowledge. “Evie’s so <em>good</em>, Ben.  So kind and generous despite growing up in that hellhole.  And Dizzy too- she’s just, bubbly and <em>nice</em> and Gil’s always <em>happy</em> – they’re the good of the Isle, Ben.  They’re all just victims-”</p>
<p>“You’re a victim,” Ben hissed, pressing their foreheads together. “Chad-”</p>
<p>“I’m a <em>monster</em>.” Chad had always known what he was.  What his grandfather must have seen. “And you’re too good to get stuck with me, Ben.  You deserve better.”</p>
<p>“You were trapped on an Isle with some of the most terrifying villains Auradon has ever seen,” Ben pressed. “Mal told me you would have avoided people altogether if you hadn’t seen Gil getting mugged, but you saw someone in need and you helped and yeah, you couldn’t do that the Auradon way-” His eyes were shining with moisture but he refused to allow Chad space, refused to let him back away from this. “But you’re out here and you’re not a monster.  You <em>adapted</em>, Chad.  You did what you had to.  And I loved you before you were stolen because you used this mask of vanity and haughtiness to help people, to distract your grandfather into looking one way while you changed the world with the other.  You don’t think I noticed that?”</p>
<p>“B-Ben…”</p>
<p>“I <em>love</em> you,” Ben urged, looking at Chad so intensely he thought he might break. “And while I do want to get to know everything that happened to you on that island, the fact that you’re actively trying to talk me out of being with you kind of speaks to how little a monster you are.”</p>
<p>“<em>Ben</em>,” Chad sobbed, felt tears pouring down his cheeks. “Don’t- don’t let me fool you-”</p>
<p>“Can’t be fooled,” Ben insisted, pressing a kiss to Chad’s gasping mouth. “Love you too much for that.”</p>
<p>“Idiot,” Chad hissed. “You’re an idiot.  I’ll destroy you.”</p>
<p>“I trust you’ll protect me before you’ll ever allow that to happen.”</p>
<p>And that was it; those were the words that broke Chad completely, that left him crying into Ben’s chest as he struggled to hold him tighter.  He wouldn’t be able to let go now.  He’d tried, before, this was his last-ditch effort, but if Ben wasn’t smart enough to walk away, there was no possibility of Chad being selfless enough to abandon him.</p>
<p>“Love you,” he muttered, ignoring the way it seemed to tear his chest open. “Love you so much, you idiot.”</p>
<p>“I love you too,” Ben said, fondness in his voice, and this was it; <em>this</em> was how Chad would die.</p>
<p>This, he was okay with.   </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>
  <strong>Alternate Ending – The End</strong>
</p>
<p><span class="u">Notes</span>: <em>I had no specifics, but eventually there would be some kind of celebration commemorating Chad’s return to the land of the living.  In this version of the story, Audrey was the one who orchestrated Chad’s abduction – the princess keen to get him out of the way so she could have a shot at Ben.  It’s why her multiple assassination attempts didn’t work, because she didn’t understand the depth of Chad’s skills the same way his grandfather did</em>. </p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>It wasn’t long before Chad got company, and it was Aziz that settled beside him on the stairs, looking out of the celebration taking place on the back lawn with an open sort of appreciation.</p>
<p>“Only Audrey would trap you on the Isle of the Lost and be surprised you came back with an army,” he began conversationally.</p>
<p>“I dunno.” Chad shrugged. “Ben’s probably surprised.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but he wouldn’t have ever dared to leave you there,” Aziz countered with an easy smile. “Not his precious <em>Chadwick</em>.”</p>
<p>“Did everyone know about that but me?”</p>
<p>“Probably,” Aziz laughed. “I mean, he wasn’t subtle.  King Adam kept trying to foist him off onto other princesses, but he was only ever interested in you.”  The laughter died down to a few chuckles. “Smart as you are, I thought you knew that.”</p>
<p>“I’ve been told I’m not great at keeping tabs on my interpersonal relationships,” Chad offered quietly.  Though he was trying to get better.</p>
<p>Aziz smirked. “Guess you can’t be good at everything.” He let his gaze go back to the festivities. “You know Agrabah’s behind you a hundred percent, right?  Now and going forward, you’ll have our support.”</p>
<p>“Already got the first shipment of gifts from Fairuza.” Chad chuckled when his fellow prince cursed, likely annoyed at his sister’s perfect punctuality. “But thank you, Aziz.  It means a lot.”</p>
<p>Aziz grinned, something warm and easy. “You’re welcome, Chad.  Know that this is a gift of friendship, though.  We’re not just sucking up to the future consort.”</p>
<p>Chad felt himself flush. “<em>Aziz</em>.”</p>
<p>“Hey, we’ve been calling it for years.” Aziz held up both hands in surrender. “Getting Princess Evelyn onboard is just a bonus.  It’s a good day for Auradon.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chad couldn’t help but agree.  “It really is.”</p>
<p>One of the young faces broke apart from the dancing mob, picking her way through the path until collapsed on the stair below Chad, panting up at him with a wide grin. “Have you had these?” Darla asked, holding up a chocolate covered strawberry. “It’s fruit <em>and</em> chocolate and <em>amazing</em>.  It’s melty and sweet, you should have one!”</p>
<p>“I would love to, my dear.” He relieved her of the treat and leaned forward, pitching his voice nice and low. “Of course, I would be quite annoyed if this was poisoned.”</p>
<p>In an instant, the blatant enthusiasm dimmed to a more mischievous cheer. “I <em>told</em> them you hadn’t gone soft.”  </p>
<p>“Course I haven’t.” Chad wrapped the poisoned berry in a handkerchief, pocketing it for disposal later. “But I’m not going to give out any more free passes, not while we’re in Auradon.”</p>
<p>“But Anthony tried to poison you and you made him a <em>prince</em>,” Darla pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly. “How fair is that?”</p>
<p>“Anthony’s my cousin.” Whether Chad liked it or not. “And even <em>he</em> had to work his way up from the bottom.  Now go.” He motioned towards the dance floor where Dizzy was waiting, waving at Darla with an exuberance that couldn’t be matched. “Maybe if you play your cards right you can marry into royalty.”</p>
<p>Darla flushed. “…you think so?”</p>
<p>“Never know until you try,” Chad assured her. </p>
<p>She seemed to take him at his word, nodding to herself with a stubborn sort of determination before she sprinted back into the fray, taking Dizzy’s hands and spinning her with a laugh.</p>
<p>“…that tiny child just tried to poison you,” Aziz murmured, eyes blinking with surprise. “What have you unleashed on us, my friend?”</p>
<p>“Something good, I think.”</p>
<p>“You know,” Aziz laughed. “I think you’re right.”</p>
<p>-:-:-:-:-:-</p>
<p>“Who was that guy who made you laugh earlier?” Mal asked when she finally pulled him into a dance, looking wonderfully radiant in her purple gown, Evie’s work exquisite as always.</p>
<p>“Prince Aziz of Agrabah,” Chad replied. “Next in line for Sultan, though he may defer the position to his sister.”</p>
<p>“A prince, huh,” Mal muttered, eyes narrowing slightly.</p>
<p>“You know,” Chad began with a sigh. “I’m going to laugh at and pretend to be charmed by other people out here.  That doesn’t mean I like them more than you.”</p>
<p>“Make sure to tell that to Harry,” Mal ordered.  She’d never really gotten the point of ‘requesting’. “Since he was like, two seconds from hooking him.”</p>
<p>“My boys,” Chad sighed. “My dumb, dumb boys.”</p>
<p>“I’ll say,” Mal laughed. “Pretty sure Ben was going to help him.”</p>
<p>“I mean, that’s one way to win Harry over.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Mal curled against his chest, letting him spin her around the dancefloor. “I suppose it is.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that was all she wrote :)</p>
<p>Until next time</p>
        </blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25471222">Rules of Punishment Chapter 8.5</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoddessMillenia/pseuds/GoddessMillenia">GoddessMillenia</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div></div></div>
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